Daughter of My Own Heart
by TripC130
Summary: Sequel to Lilycius. Lily Evans has been engaged to Lucius Malfoy for six years now and they have drifted too far apart. Lily marries James but leaves Lucius with one last thing to remember her by. She finely gives him a child, but doesn't tell him until fifteen years have passed. Can Lucius live up to the vow he made so long ago or will his life be destroyed in the process?
1. Daughter of My Own Heart

**~Daughter of My Own Heart~***

**Sequel to Lilycius**

Lily sat down at the large mahogany desk and poised her quill above a fresh sheet of parchment. This was the hardest letter she ever had to write but knew it had to be done. She took a deep breath and pressed the quill to the page and wrote away her love for Lucius Malfoy.

_My dearest Lucius, Sep, 19, 1979_

_ I write this letter to you with a heavy heart. We have been together for six wonderful years and I wonder where we went wrong? What words were said or not said that drew you so far away from me? I know about Narcissa and I know that you love her and I will not try and take you away from her if she truly makes you happy. I know that this relationship has been hard for you. Especially when our attempts to have a baby have been unsuccessful thus far. I wasn__'__t ready to give up… I wanted to stay with you forever and have a perfect family together. You__'__ve made your choices and I am making mine. I__'__m leaving the manor and I am marrying James in seven days. I have not and never will break our vows and I hope that you will not either. These years have been the best I__'__ve known, I just wish that we could go back to that wonderful year at Hogwarts. We were so happy then. After you left and graduated, things took a turn for the worse and I think that might be where we went wrong. I wore your ring for three years at school and our engagement was certainly public. After six years, I think it__'__s time it is returned to its rightful owner. There is another letter I have written enclosed with this one. I ask that you not open it until fifteen years from this day on September nineteenth, nineteen ninety-four. I know fifteen years is a very long time and I know you won__'__t listen to me and will try and open the enclosed letter. To make sure you won__'__t, I__'__ve charmed it so nothing can get into the sealed envelope until the exact day in September. You will forgive me when that day comes, I promise. Remember, Lucius Malfoy, you proposed to me on that night on the balcony six years ago. But even after six years you have still never agreed to marry me. That alone broke my heart. I do hope Narcissa will make you happier than I could my love. Do know you will forever and always be the love of my life, first and foremost. I vowed that to you six years ago and it will always remain true. I carry your love in my heart__ Lucius. Goodbye._

_ Forever yours,_

_Lily Evans_

Lily folded up the piece of parchment and slipped it into the envelope. She picked up the second letter and slipped the diamond and emerald engagement ring off of her finger. With one last look at the beautiful ring she had worn faithfully for six years, she tucked it into the envelope and sealed it with an unbreakable charm. She then placed the sealed letter beside the other on Lucius' desk and rose from the chair. With one last look around the magnificent mansion that would've been her home, she apperated out of the manor to begin a new life without Lucius Malfoy.


	2. Letters

**~Letters~***

July 20, 1994. Fifteen years later.

Lucius sat at his desk in his office in Malfoy manor, his fingers pressed against his temples. The ministry had been sending him letter after letter regarding the complexities of the inner workings of the tri-wizard tournament being hosted at Hogwarts this upcoming school year. Lucius had been requested to arrange the transport of Dragons from Bulgaria, to procure life warranty protection papers from the ministry for all the students attending the tournament at all three schools, and to arrange the construction and delivery of the portkey used in the final round. He had stacks of letters around him and there was just too much to do in only two months time. Narcissa quietly walked into the office and timidly stood before him. He looked up at her.

"Yes, what do you need?" He asked crisply. She smiled tightly and presented another batch of letters. Lucius groaned and placed his head in his hands. "The ministry is just expecting way too much of me! How am I to accomplish all of this in two months? Plus, we still need to take Draco to Diagon Alley for his school supplies." He let out a frustrated sigh and Narcissa walked around behind him and began to rub his shoulders.

"It will be alright Lucius. You have plenty of time." He shook his head and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes.

"I just need to work harder on all of this. Could you send Draco in? I have a job for him, because he's probably in need of something to do." Narcissa nodded and kissed the top of his head and then left the office.

A few minutes later, Draco sauntered in. "You asked for me father?" Lucius nodded and picked up a stack of letters from the corner of the desk.

"I have too much work to finish for the ministry and won't have time to reply to these. Reply to the senders as if you were me, it shouldn't be too hard for you, and it will give you something to do. More come in nearly every day," Lucius said distractedly. Draco nodded, slightly puzzled.

"Very well father." He took the letters from his father's hand and Lucius paused in his writing. He pulled open a drawer in the desk and thrust a magazine at Draco.

"Make sure and read the article on the last page. Then you'll get an idea of how to reply," he said curtly. Draco nodded and left his father to continue working. He really didn't look forward to replying to all of these letters, but he was honestly curious as to what they might be about. He guessed it had something to do with the ministry, which was going to be utterly boring reading.

Draco entered his bedroom, set the letters and magazine down on his desk, then sat down. He picked up the magazine, smirking at the title, "_Environmentally Magical__"_ He flipped through the pages, noting the articles about centaur and elf rights in the wizarding community. There was a ridiculous article about a witch and a centaur titled_"__Is it true love or mere horse play?__"_ Draco shook his head and wondered why in the world his father even had this. It was absolutely ridiculous! He flipped to the back page and was intrigued by the title of the final article. "_Priori Incantatum as Twin Soul Cores__"__ By Poisoned Quill Scribe. _Draco raised an eyebrow at the peculiar title but read on.

_I came across an intriguing theory in my youth presented in a 1974 school Charms textbook. The theory suggested the well-known incantation of Priori Incantatum - which is the effect occurring when two wands of the same core material duel -could, in fact, have an alternate effect. The author of the analysis presented the idea that as twin cores emit the echo or memory of previous spells, likewise two human souls could join in such a way as to cause a similar echo of memory. I call this theory the __"__Twin Soul C__ores.__"_

_If two humans are so closely bonded and are both in a certain state of mind and emotion, it has been theorized memories from either person can be shared almost telepathically. Such an experience undoubtedly has a dramatic effect, as one is experiencing another__'__s__ deepest __and most cherished memories. Some people who have reviewed G.R.R__'__s theory claim such an occurrence can only happen between twin souls, or soul mates, where there is an unbreakable amount of love and trust between each person. _

_While in the presence of the other, fond past memories occur in both minds and can be seen within the mind__'__s eye of the other. The words of the incantation apparently do not __need __to be spoken for this occurrence to happen. G.R.R believed in its possibility - under the right circumstances and with the right persons involved. In my study of the Priori Incantatum I have come across many things that prove it to be true. _

_The cores of wands are made out of a variety of living materials, such as u__nicorn hair __- which possesses magical qualities of love and healing: dragon heart strings - which contain massive amounts of powerful dragon blood and magic __connect__ing both dragon and wizard; and Veela hair, which possesses the immense magic of beauty and love. These core elements, when dueling against a wand containing the same element will increase magical power ten-fold and reveal the wand__'__s inner memories. _

_ The__ human body contains a heart, blood, and hair, the same as the core wand substance made from the magical beings whose very heart, blood and hair are used within the core to help the wizard link and create powerful magic. Because of the link between wizard and wand, magical capabilities are increased exponentially. If all the wizard and wand bond takes is a wizard__'__s Dragon heartstring, Dragon blood, and Unicorn hair meeting and linking with another wand__'__s own heartstring, blood, and hair -, then why can__'__t the same thing occur between two comparable __humans? _

_ H__ow different is the wizard from his wand? A wand chooses the wizard - and if two wizards come into contact with the same wand core - are the wizards not similar as well? Can those two wizards not join together, and when emotions rise, cause an echo of their memories to come forth just as the twin cores of the wands do? _

_This theory all in all is questionable. Those who agree with it claim to have experienced such a phenomenal bond with another. However, does this affect only two wizards or witches who have a wand that contains the same core? Or is the matter of this magic even deeper?_

_Can two humans be so perfectly matched that magic can be exchanged between them through shared memory never previously revealed to the other? The occurrence is reported to be flashes of memories of people and places mentally recalled by each of the affected bonded, recalling events and faces of their counterpart. _

_Many may __argue __the spell Legilimens is being done. Legilimens, when cast, is a very painful experience and it is done deliberately and with force and intention to withdraw information through memories. The effect of __Priori Incantatum__ seems to happen of its own accord, primarily in the process of thought while only with another loved and sufficiently matched individual. _

_I myself believe to have experienced such a bond between another human being, an encounter worthy of scrutiny. Take for example the differences in our wand cores, an element that should prevent __"__Prianti Incantatum__"__from truly taking effect. My wand contains a dragon heartstring and my lover__'__s, at the time, contained a Selkie hair. They are two vastly different but powerful cores, yet I remember as clear as day the memories from her past I experienced. Those memories had never once been shared with me by this woman. I reflect to this day on memories that were not my own to see, yet came to me as easily and naturally as breathing. Many would discredit me, and claim my experience is simply the deranged reeling of a love-sick dreamer, absolutely impossible that __Priori Incantatum __was achievable with this woman when our wand cores were different. But even if they were different, our beliefs and our souls certainly were not. _

_If I am labeled a dreamer because I shared memories with someone I loved through magic, then perhaps love and magic have no place together in the wizarding world. How can magic be created without love and emotion? For is that not all love is but the feeling of a very strong emotion? Can magic occur if the witch or wizard feels nothing while casting a spell? So then why shouldn__'__t __Priori Incantatum __be possible between any two people who share the same love and emotion towards each other? Irregardless of the connection formed between wands. _

_Answer these questions and conclude for yourself if __love doesn__'__t create magic and memories between people or if a mystical bond can or cannot be formed between a wizard and a witch who are apparently vastly different._

Draco finished reading the article and sat back in his chair. Had his father really written this? The entire concept blew his mind but he felt as though he understood it. He picked up the first letter on the small pile and broke the seal.

_Poisoned Quill Scribe,_

_I am absolutely in love with your work and your article about Priori Incantatum is truly phenomenal, and it does ring true. The concept that two souls can be so closely bonded that Priori Incantatum, the sharing of memories, can occur - even if those two are not similar like the core of the wands - is spectacular and truly makes one think about love in a whole other way. I am so moved by your writing and I would love to be able to meet and converse with you over this fascinating topic. I have other theories I have come across while doing research on this topic. On the topic of you and your lover having separate wand cores and yet sharing this bond of Priori Incantatum through memories, are there other similarities between you two as wizard and witch? There must be some other powerful means by which you are joined of you experienced Priori Incantatum with two separate wand cores. Have you looked into other possible meaning behind this? Could physical appearance or even age have something to do with it? I have done much study on astrology and how the planets and stars coincide with a birth month. If perhaps two souls, as you say, are in the same astrological phase then this occurrence might be more likely? I am very eager to receive your response and discuss this more thoroughly with you. I have so many questions and theories. If you agree, we can continue writing and perhaps set a date to meet. _

_I am truly inspired by you. Please do consider my genuine offer._

_Sincerely,_

_Past of Open Eyes_

Draco absently lay the letter down upon his desk, and without hesitation opened the second letter.

_Poisoned Quill Scribe,_

_It has been at least a month since I have written to you and I assume you are a very busy man. But could you not at least give me the courtesy of a response? I truly do love your writing and it has inspired me to delve into deeper research on this puzzling and intriguing concept. I would love your advice and expertise on this matter so I can further my own research. _

_I would also love to get to know you, and perhaps get to know the brilliantly intellectual mind behind the writing._

_I am truly in love with your work. Please write me back. I__'__ll be a sorely heartbroken girl if you do not. You speak of soul mates and I find you so similar to myself in the way you think, I simply must talk to you and witness your brilliant mind in action. You truly __fascinate me__, sir._

_Sincerely,_

_Past of Open Eyes_

Draco was immensely curious about this woman who wrote so fervently in response to his father's article. The whole concept fascinated him as well, he just wasn't sure if he could pull off writing back to her and still sound like his father. He ran a hand through his blonde hair then scanned over the article and the two letters once more. He pursed his lips then took out a blank sheet of parchment. This little chore was going to be much more interesting than he had first anticipated.

Lucius was still sitting at his desk at six o'clock that evening. He opened yet another letter form the ministry of magic and groaned in frustration.

"Dragons? Really! This tournament is ridiculous! Now I have to write another bloody letter to a Charlie Weasley in Bulgaria regarding more details about their transport. If that blasted Ludo Bagman hadn't gotten himself sent to bloody St. Mungos I wouldn't be in this mess!" Lucius shoved himself up from the desk and stormed out of the office. He entered the library and immediately went to one of the selves at the very back of the large room. He scanned the shelves and pulled a book down.

"_Quidditch through the ages_? What is that even doing on this shelf! He set it aside and pulled others from the shelf, leafing through them in search of information on dragon breeds. He pulled yet another off the shelf after discarding three already. "_Charms Year 4._" Lucius looked at the book with puzzlement. What was this book doing here? It should be up in the attic with all of his other schoolbooks from Hogwarts. He cracked open the old cover and his face paled at the faded swooping script that spelled out the owner's name on the inside cover. _Lily Evans. _Lucius gritted his teeth and flung the book across the room in anger. He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and growled angrily. He didn't need this right now! He continued scanning the books and finely found the one he needed.

"Bloody hell, finely! Antipodean Opaleye, no. Hebridean Black, no. Peruvian Vipertooth, not needed. Romanian Longhorn, no. Ukrainian Ironbelly, Merlin! Yes, Chinese Fireball also known as Lion Dragon. Common Welsh Green is Native to Great Britain. Awedish short-snout, alright. And finely Hungarian Horntail, considered to be one of the most dangerous dragons. Hmph, I pitty the student who fights that one. Won't be a pretty ending." He snapped the book shut and snapped his fingers. A house elf appeared with a pop.

"Yes Master Malfoy?" The house elf squeaked. Lucius pointed at the pile of books strewn across the table.

"Put those away in the correct place." The house elf nodded and began gathering the books up into its tiny arms. Lucius walked across the room with the book on dragons under his arm and he paused by the door before leaving. He bent down and picked up the book he had thrown. His eyes were drawn to an envelope lying on the floor near his feet. He put the Charms book beneath his arm and retrieved the letter from the carpet. It had to have been tucked inside the pages of the book. He looked at the faded lettering on the front of the letter, written with the same swooping handwriting as the name inside the Charms book. Lucius swallowed. The letter was addressed to him. He let out a breath and his mouth felt suddenly dry.

He walked back into the library and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs. Placing the books on an end table he stared at the letter. Fifteen years it had been since she had written to him the first time. He could still remember coming home to the manor and finding her gone. He had been wrong to get together with Narcissa. Lily was smart and Lucius knew that she would figure it out with time. He only did it to protect her. If the Dark Lord had known that Lucius was with a Muggleborn, Lucius and Lily would have both been killed. He got into a relationship with Narcissa strictly to lead the Dark Lord off of Lily's trail. He hadn't planned on Narcissa falling in love with him, or that he would return the same feelings for her. When he arrived home that Friday evening and found Lily gone and found the two letters, he was heartbroken. He read in the paper seven days later that Lily had married James Potter. He hadn't stopped thinking about Lily Evans for years. He read that she had a baby named Harry one year later in 1980. Then a year after Harry had been born, Lily Evans and James Potter were killed by Lord Voldemort.

Lucius sucked in a breath and flipped the letter over. Lily was remarkable at Charms work and Lucius had tried to open the letter fifteen years before and couldn't. Supposedly, after fifteen years the charm would be broken. He ripped at the paper and it tore with ease. He ripped it open and pulled out a slightly yellowed piece of parchment. Lily's swooping writing filled the page and Lucius began to read the last letter Lily ever wrote to him.

_My Dearest Lucius,_

_ Once upon another time, you went off and left me alone. But that__'__s not all you did. You left me with a daughter. Ever since that other time, I wished, how I wished you__'__d have known. I kept the secret hid, the secret my vow to you would soon forbid. What else could I have done? I just couldn__'__t let you know. So, I ran away and married James. I had considered using her to bring you back to me. I hoped because I had finely given you a child, you might love me again. But, I couldn__'__t take you away from Narcissa. You seemed to love her so much more than me, with the amount that you visited her. So I gave up our daughter to a muggle family unable to conceive. Out daughter would be raised by muggles but she will grow into a very powerful witch. I know on her eleventh birthday she will receive a letter for Hogwarts. She will never know us as her parents. Giving her up was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But it was the only way to leave you in the past forever. I made a mistake, however. By giving her up and not protecting her, I broke the vow we made so long ago. My right hand revealed the marks from the spell and they sear like fire every day. I had to let you go and every memory of you. After I write this letter and leave it behind, I will also be leaving the memories of our Daughter, Hermione Jean Evans, behind as well. This letter is the only record of her relationship to us. So now you know fifteen years too late. I hope you can forgive me for everything. And, as always, I sill and always will love you Lucius Malfoy._

_Forever Yours, Lily Evans._


	3. Regular Correspondence

~Regular Correspondence~*

Hermione was relaxed on her bed, reading the article on the back page of _Environmentally Magical_. She just couldn't get the thought of twin souls, soul mates out of her mind. The entire concept fascinated her to no end and the claim that it was linked to Priori Incantatum was spectacular! Her mother called from downstairs.

"Hermione! You have another letter!" Hermione smiled and jumped off her bed and ran out of her room.

"Is it from him?" She hollered down the stairs. Her mother looked up at her from the landing at the bottom of the staircase and held the letter out to her.

"Come get it and find out. Also, you really need to post a sign or something so that the owls will stop landing at my office window. It scares the devil out of me when I look up and an owl is staring at me through the window with a letter tied to its leg." Hermione laughed and rushed down the stairs and snatched the letter out of her mother's hand.

"Thanks! I'll be down for dinner!" She said as she ran back up the stairs and into her room. Her mother shook her head and smiled.

Hermione flopped down on her bed and tore open the letter eagerly. She poured over the crisp handwriting.

_Dear Past of Open Eyes,_

_ I received both of your letters but you are correct, I am a very busy man. You certainly seem to have a keen interest in my article. So I am giving you the courtesy of replying to your multiple letters. I might be interested in hearing more about the ideas that you have on Priori Incantatum. Perhaps we could communicate better through the fire system rather than discussing so much information through letters. I am free this upcoming Saturday around four o__'__clock, we could talk more thoroughly then. I greatly look forward to talking with you._

_ Poisoned Quill Scribe_

Hermione's eyes were wide and she gaped. The Poisoned Quill Scribe wanted to talk to her about the Priori Incantatum spell? This was better than she had ever dreamed! She flopped back on the bed and giggled happily. She clutched the letter to her chest, imagining a tall man with black hair or maybe dark brown. He probably wore a business suit and had to be utterly handsome! It was a dream come true to get to talk to him and delve into his mind! The only complication was that she didn't have access to the magical fireplaces to be able to talk to other witches and wizards. Hermione was still overjoyed and an idea popped into her head. She quickly got up and ran to the desk. She scribbled back a response, biting her lip all the while.

_Dear Poisoned Quill Scribe,_

_ I would absolutely love to talk to you about your article! However, at my present location I am not able to access the wizarding fire systems. Would there be any way that you could call using a muggle telephone? I know it is rather distasteful for a wizard such as you, but I am begging! I really want to talk to you about this article and share with you my ideas! Thank you so much for responding to me! Also, Saturday at four would be great! My muggle telephone number is (020)8199-5643. I look forward to your call and to discussing your article._

_ Sincerely, _

_Past of Open Eyes_

Hermione quickly sealed the letter in an envelope and tied it to the leg of Reedle, a barn owl she was using for over the summer to send letters. Professor McGonagall had been kind enough to send her one to use. She opened the window and Reedle took off and Hermione watched him fly away in anticipation.

Draco walked into his father's office and knocked lightly on the doorframe.

"Enter." Came his father's tiered reply. Draco walked into the office and stood before his father. There were tons of letters scattered about the desk and Draco suddenly felt slightly bad for setting up the call with the fan writer on Saturday. He brushed it aside, it was done already, and there was no going back. It was simply to get back at his father for making him reply to all of his stupid fan mail. It was ridiculous!

"I have been responding to the letters you gave me father. This woman is very insistent and admires your article. She is insisting on talking to you. So, I set up a fire system call on Saturday at four. I figured you could do it since your so knowledgeable on the subject." Lucius looked at his son in disbelief.

"Draco, I have absolutely no time on my hands! That is why I gave you the letters! So you would stay out of my hair and because they needed to be replied to! A reply to a fan letter is simple, with a thank you and giving them a little praise for writing to you! Blast Draco! You did this, now you are going to finish it! It isn't my problem anymore! Now, leave me, I have work to get done!" Draco flinched as his father yelled at him. He nodded and quietly left his fathers office.

"Bloody Hell… I don't want to have to call the blasted woman. I just did it to get at father. I figured he would agree and just talk to her, but only be a little bit angry." Draco sighed and headed back to his room. Maybe he could write another letter and tell her that he couldn't do the call? He reached his room and an owl was tapping persistently at his window. Draco sighed and pulled the letter off of the barn owls leg. It was from her. He read it and groaned.

"Great! Just great! What mess have I gotten myself into? She doesn't have access to the fire system! Well, I certainly don't have access to a muggle telephone, nor do I have any desire to call her on one of those. Perhaps we could meet up somewhere? Hm, that might work. Hell, if she's pretty I might just score. It's not like my father would have a chance anyways since he's married. I might just be able use this to my advantage after all." He sat down and composed yet another letter to Past of Open Eyes with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Hermione read the letter in irritation and yet strangely she felt extremely elated and giddy! The Poisoned Quill Scribe knew that she lived in London from the postal address and he wanted to meet her for dinner because he wasn't going to be able to call her! Hermione laughed and sunk onto the sofa.

"What is it dear?" Her mother asked, coming into the living room. Hermione beamed at her.

"The Poisoned Quill Scribe, who wrote that article I showed you, wants to meet with me to discuss the article! He is interested in my ideas! He wants to have dinner on Saturday night at six o'clock at a small restaurant called Botticelli's." Her mother smiled.

"Well then! That's wonderful! I can drive you there on Saturday if you want me to." Hermione beamed and hugged her fiercely.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That would be amazing! I can't believe I get to talk to him!" She got up from the sofa and ran upstairs raving about the things they would discuss.

Two days later Draco was getting ready for the dinner date with the woman who he had been corresponding with over his father's article. He wore a black pair of slacks and a crisp black button up shirt. He looked at himself once more in the mirror and brushed his bangs back out of his eyes. He had agreed to meet the woman for dinner at the restaurant Bottecelli's. As Draco had not yet taken his apperation test, his mother had agreed to take him. He left his room and met his mother in the entryway.

"Don't get yourself into trouble Draco. I'll be back in two hours to pick you up from the restaurant, understood?" Draco smirked.

"Yes mother, plain as day, I understood it. Now lets go. I told her we would be there at six sharp and it's already six now." Narcissa gave him a shrewd look and grabbed his hand. Draco felt a sharp tug at his navel and his entire body felt as though it were being sucked through a small tube. With a pop they appeared in a dimly lit alleyway. His mother let go of his hand and nodded to him.

"Two hours Draco. Have a nice time." With another pop she apperated out of site. Draco sighed and walked out of the alleyway and across the street towards the small but classy restaurant.

He pushed open the door and walked inside. A waiter greeted him. "Hello sir, just one this evening?" Draco shook his head.

"No, I'm meeting a woman. She might be here already. Uh…" Draco suddenly realized that he didn't know the woman's name or even remotely what she looked like. "You see, we've been corresponding by letters over a magazine article I have written. She knows me as Poisoned Quill Scribe and she uses the name Past of Open Eyes." Draco said casting a worried glance at the waiter. The waiter nodded and chuckled.

"Yes, there was a young lady who just came in talking about the same thing. Right this way." The waiter led him through the warmly lit restaurant and presented him at a table. A woman sat at it with her back facing him.

"Your table sir."

"Thank you." Draco moved around and slid into the booth and met eyes with the woman sitting across from him.

"Malfoy!?" She said in astonishment and anger. Draco's eyes widened.

"Bloody hell, Granger?" They stared at each other in disgusted and stunned silence.

"This is a mistake. You can't possibly be the Poisoned Quill Scribe!" Hermione said angrily. Draco smirked.

"And why can't I Granger? You'd be surprised at my intellect. I thought you were just dying to plow me with questions. How did you put it, and to witness my brilliant mind in action was it?" Draco chuckled. "You certainly have a fancy for me Granger." She glared at him menacingly.

"No, I bloody do not! Your work is hardly up to par with that of the article. Tell me, what was the wand core of your supposed lover again?" Draco faltered. He had only read the article once.

"Uh… Dragon's heartstring, of course." He said coooly. She gave him a shrewd glare.

"Wrong. It was Selkie hair. Now fess up Malfoy. What's really going on? Is it really you I've been writing to for weeks?" Draco glared at her.

"Fine, yes. You have been writing quite sappy letters that I have been reading and responding to. However, the article isn't mine. It's my father's. He gave me the job of responding to his fan mail. I figured I would set up this little rendezvous and that he would be forced to go. Instead, he made me go through with it. Happy now Granger?"

"No! Bloody hell Malfoy! Your bloody father wrote the blasted article on Priori Incantatum and he has you respond to his fan mail?! That is absolutely ridiculous! Not to mention selfish and degrading! God, I never should have come here! I bet you don't even know what Priori Incantatum even is!" She got up from the table and tossed her napkin down angrily. Draco stood as well, his anger rising.

"I most certainly do Granger! And I think you might want to keep your voice down around so many people." He hissed angrily.

"I can say what ever the hell I please Malfoy!" She shot back vehemently.

"Merlin, Granger just sit down and lets talk about this. We are causing a scene." He spat at her. Hermione smirked.

"Good." She turned on her heel and Draco reached out and snatched her arm to pull her back.

A sudden shock reeled through both of them. The world seemed to stand still and in those brief seconds, Draco experienced something he would never forget.

_A woman with long red hair held a baby wrapped up in a blanket in her arms. Two other people swam into view, a man with curly brown hair and a woman with long straight black hair. The woman took the baby from the red headed woman__'__s arms. Draco was now looking down on the baby__'__s face. The baby__'__s brown eyes gleamed and it let out an agonizing cry as it was taken from the arms of the other woman. The pain and loss was so strong from both the baby and the red headed woman. The red headed woman smiled but he only ever saw her mouth. Her hand stroked the baby__'__s soft cheek and she turned and fled into the night, the sound of the baby wailing in her wake._

Draco reeled from the vision and ripped his hand away from Granger's. Her eyes were wide with fright and confusion.

"What did you do to me Malfoy?" She whispered hoarsely. He glared at her, still feeling that lonely emptiness of loss inside of him.

"I didn't do anything to you Granger! Your just imagining things!" He spat. She shook her head, now furious.

"You used legilimans on me Malfoy! I know you did! I recognize the effect of it! How dare you!" She hissed angrily at him. Draco's eyes widened.

"You've got to be joking? I didn't Granger!"

"But I saw the memory you took! It had to have dealt with me! Because it was my parents!" She seethed.

"I didn't Granger. I saw the memory to but I didn't take it by force! I don't even know how to use legilimans!" Hermione glared at him.

"You're a lying git! All of your family is! Your father wrote that article and told you reply to his letters because he was too conceded to do it himself! You both are despicable!" She whirled around and stormed through the restaurant.

Draco growled angrily and sat back down. The waiter came up to his table.

"Here's her food sir." He said, placing a dish in her place. "She ordered before you arrived, saying you'd be here shortly. What can I get you?" He asked, his pen poised above a pad of paper.

"Nothing. I'm not hungry." He growled angrily. The waiter nodded.

"Very well then, would you like me to bring you the bill?"

"Yes, by god just bring it here and leave me be!" Draco yelled at him. The waiter glared him and walked away.

"What an ungrateful, pompous, know-it-all! Merlin, I did not use that on her! It… no…" The pieces clicked into place and Draco launched himself up from the table. He threw a hundred euro bill onto the table and ran out of the restaurant.

For an entire week, Draco couldn't stop thinking about the incident with Hermione Granger in the restaurant. He had pored over his father's article again and again and each time he was drawn back to the same frustrating conclusion. He had experienced Priori Incantatum with Hermione Granger. The thought alone revolted him but he didn't see any other conclusion to the puzzling shared memory that was obviously not his own. He reviewed the memory again and again, trying to figure out who the red headed woman was. Obviously the other two adults were Hermione's parents. That much she had made clear. But who was the third? And was the baby even Granger? Draco stewed over the possibilities for an entire week, hardly doing much of anything else. Finely on Saturday he angrily left the house without a word to his parents of where he was going or why. It wasn't like they would've cared anyway.

Draco approached the red telephone booth as casually as he could. Muggles surrounded him on the streets and he felt extremely uncomfortable. He watched as another muggle entered the tall red box and picked up a device placing it to the side of their head and pushed buttons on the device. Once the muggle left the box Draco approached it and pulled open the door and stepped inside. He pulled out the piece of parchment in his pocket and stared at the muggle contraption before him.

"How do muggles survive without magic?" He muttered as he observed that the small buttons had numbers written on each one. He looked down at the paper in his hand. "Okay, this is simple." He pushed the buttons in the order of the numbers on the paper and then picked up the device and placed it to his ear. There was a loud buzzing noise.

"Hello?" He said cautiously. The buzzing noise continued. Draco glared at the device.

"_Please insert two euros.__"_An animatronic voice said on the other line.

"Bloody hell, how hard is it to use one of these muggle contraptions!" He pulled some coin out of his pocket and scanned the metal box. He slipped the coins into a small slot and the buzzing continued. He kept the phone held to his ear and pushed in the sequence of numbers once again. The tone changed and it began to ring. Draco jumped and the phone dropped from his hand and swung on the chord.

"Hello?" A voice said through the muggle device. Draco hurriedly picked it up and placed it to his ear once again.

"Hello?" He said uncertainly.

"Yes, hello, may I ask who's calling?" A female voice said. Draco cleared his throat.

"Um, yeah, is this the number to reach Hermione Granger? It's… um, her friend… Harry Potter." Draco said quickly.

"Oh Harry, so good to hear from you! I'll get her on the line! Just hold on a minute, will you dear?"

"Yeah, sure." The woman hollered on the other end, but it sounded distant. There was silence for a minute and Draco thought something had gone wrong. He was about to press a button again to make it work when Hermione picked up.

"Harry! I can't believe you called! How were you able to use the phone with the Dursley's around?" She said quickly.

"Granger, it's not Potter. It's Draco Malfoy. I had to talk to you." The line went silent.

"Blast, are you still there or did I do something wrong again?" He asked uncertainly.

"Malfoy? Are you using a muggle telephone?" She asked sounding bemused.

"Yes, I am! Now, can we talk please? Is there a limit on these muggle contraptions?"

"Well, eventually you'll have to put in two more euros if you're using a pay phone." She said simply.

"Alright then, lets get this over with. Look, I didn't cast legilimans on you that night at the restaurant. I swear that I didn't Granger. I've been doing some research… and I think that we might have experienced Priori Incantatum." He said. The other end of the line was silent. "Granger?" He asked angrily.

"I'm still here Malfoy. That's impossible. How could we have experienced Priori Incantatum? We were both furious at each other."

"According to my father's article it can occur when in a scene of strong emotion. Perhaps…"

"Perhaps nothing! There is no way that would happen between us Malfoy! You only wish!" She barked.

"I wish? Hardly Granger. Maybe it doesn't mean that the two are soul mates, maybe it's just an everyday occurrence between witches and wizards." He suggested hastily, but he highly doubted the idea himself.

"You and I both know that's not true." She said.

"Well, we need to find out exactly what this is then. We both saw that memory and I haven't stopped thinking about it all bloody week. I still have that feeling of utter loss and despair that I just can't shake. It's getting really aggravating."

"Yeah, same here." She sighed on the other end. "Maybe it's no big deal Malfoy."

"Granger, if this feeling hasn't gone away for an entire week, I have a feeling it's not going to go away anytime soon." The phone suddenly beeped loudly.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Put in another two euros." She said flatly. Draco dug in his pocket and put another two coins into the slot he had before. The phone chimed.

"Is that good?" He asked.

"Yes. Malfoy, I just don't know. I've been doing some research on it as well but I'm really not getting anywhere. You could always ask your father, he knows more about it than either of us do." Draco snorted derisively.

"Not likely, he's to busy with work for the ministry."

"Well, then what do you propose?" She snapped angrily.

"I don't know Granger. We could meet up again and bring along any information we have on it and try and figure it out." He suggested. A long stretch of silence occurred before she spoke again.

"You want to meet up with me to study Malfoy? Wow, I never thought I would hear you of all people say that." She said with a laugh.

"Granger, come off it, I'm just as smart as you are. Face it, I duped you into thinking I wrote that article and you ate it up!" He said.

"I didn't know it was you I was writing Malfoy!" She snapped. Draco smirked.

"Even so. I…"

"Enough! I'll meet up with you. When?" She asked impatiently.

"Well, you do owe me dinner Granger. I paid for your dinner that you ordered last time because you ran out and left! You owe me big. So, how about we go to dinner and you pay for the both of us and I'll get all my fathers notes on it and we can go over what we know?"

"So, you want to study with me and now your asking me on a date Malfoy?"

"What!? No! This is most definitely not a date! You're paying for everything! It's just an… exchange of business to figure this bloody spell out! It is not a date!" She chuckled on the other end.

"Fine, shall we say JW Steakhouse on Park Lane tomorrow night at six?" Draco grunted.

"Fine. Gather up all the information you've found on it and I'll see what I can get out of my father."

"Good, it's a date." She said chipperly.

"It's not a bloody date!" He yelled into the phone, but it was already back to the constant buzzing. She had hung up on him.


	4. The London Library

**~The London Library~***

**Okay, so I fixed the minor errors where I reposted the first chapter as the second. Silly mistake, (it was really, really early when I tried to post the chapters.) So I do apologize for that. Here is chapter four, as things get a little more interesting. Enjoy!**

Lucius stood up and stretched wearily. He had sent off yet another letter to Romania to straighten out the dragon situation. Apparently he hadn't been clear enough the first time and they had rounded up several male dragons. The ministry had specifically requested female nesting mothers who would have a clutch of eggs by November for the upcoming school year. The process of writing letters and organizing this whole tournament was exhausting! He walked out of his office and went down the stairs into the dining room for dinner. Narcissa was already seated at the table waiting for him. He sat down across from her at the long mahogany table able to seat thirty people. Lucius glanced around.

"Where is Draco?" Narcissa smirked.

"He's out to dinner with a girl tonight. I think it might be the same girl as last time. Or do you not remember?" She asked, an edge to her voice. Lucius sighed and pressed his fingers to his temples. It had been hard enough to focus on his work for the ministry with his wife berating him all the time that he didn't spend enough time with her and Draco, but he constantly had that letter in the back of his mind. After that day when he had found Lily Evan's letter and discovered that Hermione Jean Evans now Granger was his daughter, he couldn't get anything done. The mere thought of that bushy haired, brown-eyed girl being his daughter was ridiculous! However, he knew that it was true because Lily never lied to him. Not once in all the years they had been together had she lied to him. She wouldn't start now. He shook his head. How could this have happened? After three years of trying to have a baby with no success Lucius had finely given up on her. He had wanted a family nearly as badly as she had but they had no success. Well, until she decided to leave him and not even bother telling him about the baby. Let alone she gave up the child and he found out fifteen years later! It was unforgivable! He had treated Hermione Granger like a disgusting insect in the three years since he had met her. Draco treated her worse, he was sure of it. Now, it all just seemed funny. Hermione Granger was none other than Hermione Evans, his daughter and she was not a muggleborn but born a pureblood witch. He was a pureblood wizard and Lily had been muggleborn but she was still a witch so that made Hermione completely a pureblood, at least by his standards.

Narcissa snapped her fingers drawing Lucius out of his thoughts. The house elves appeared bearing trays of food and presented them their meal.

"You didn't make any comment on what I told you dear." She said.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Well, Draco can do what he likes. He's plenty old enough. He's what, fifteen now?" Narcissa stared at her husband in disbelief.

"No Lucius, Draco was born June fifth nineteen eighty. He's only just fourteen. If you paid more attention to our family you might know these things," she said bitterly. Lucius glared at her.

"You know that I am working hard to provide a good name for this family! I work for the ministry and I have not stopped once in seeking out the Dark Lord since his disappearance thirteen years ago! Our family depends on him and on my connections to the ministry! You'll do well to remember that Narcissa! You don't want to end up like Andromeda do you?" Narcissa bit her tongue and didn't meet his eyes. They continued the meal in utter silence.

Draco walked into the restaurant and spotted Hermione's brown hair at a nearby table. "I'm meeting her." He said crisply to the waiter who nodded and let him pass. Draco walked over and sat down across from her.

"Granger."

"Malfoy. Did you bring the papers?" She asked coldly. He nodded and slid a folder towards her. She picked it up and eagerly flipped through it.

"There's quite a bit here. But not anything that can tell us exactly why it would've happened to us."

"I found this in his office as well." He slid an old book across the table. Hermione set down the folder and examined the book.

"_Charms year 4. _It's dated nineteen seventy-four. Her eyes widened. Look at this." She turned the book towards him and pointed.

"Lily Evans? Who's that?" Draco asked. Hermione stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Please tell me your joking Malfoy." He gave her a quizzical look.

"No, I'm not Granger. Who is she and why does my father have her Charms book from nineteen seventy-four?" Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head.

"Lily Evans is Lily Potter. Harry's mother." Draco's eyes widened slightly.

"She was killed by Lord Voldemort." He said. Hermione nodded.

"Yes and so was her husband, James Potter. Her surname is Evans and based on the date, she would've been in her fourth year at Hogwarts. When did your father attend Hogwarts?" Draco thought about it for a minute.

"In nineteen seventy-four I think he was out of school by then. Because he graduated in nineteen seventy-three, his seventh year." Hermione's brow creased in puzzlement.

"This is certainly strange. If he graduated one year earlier than she would've been a third year when he was in school with her. So why did he end up with her fourth year Charms book?" Draco snorted and shrugged.

"I don't know and I really don't care. It's not important anyways. We need to find out more information on Priori Incantatum." He said brusquely. Hermione nodded.

"Your right."

"Ahem." Both of them looked up at a stern faced waiter staring down at them.

"For the second time, are you ready to order?" He asked in a very unfriendly tone. Hermione scowled at him.

"Sorry to bother you sir. I'll take the ham please." The waiter nodded and turned to Draco.

"A rib eye, medium rare." The waiter left with their orders.

Draco turned to Hermione and smirked at her.

"You come to a steakhouse for dinner and order ham?" She blushed slightly.

"Well, ham sounded good. I'm not all that fond of steak anyway." She mumbled.

"Then why did you suggest this place to eat?" Hermione shrugged.

"Because it was close and it was the first place that popped into my mind at the time Malfoy!" She seethed angrily. He held up his hands.

"Okay, okay! Cool off Granger. Merlin!" She glared at him.

"Just shut up. Now, here's what I've found on the topic." She told Draco her theories about the Twin Soul Cores and the information she had been able to gather thus far.

"Well that doesn't get us any closer to figuring out more about this Granger. All your ideas are just theories, you don't know if they're true or not."

"Everything about this concept and this bloody spell is nothing but theories Malfoy!"

"Shh! Do you want every muggle in this blasted restaurant to overhear you Hermione?" Draco stopped dead and Hermione's eyes widened. Draco glared at her. "Just bloody be quiet Granger." He hissed angrily. Hermione closed her mouth and not a minute later their food arrived. They ate in silence and Hermione studied the Charms book. Her eyes suddenly widened and she set down her fork.

"Look at this. It's the original writing on Priori Incantatum by G.R.R!" She slid the book over to Draco and he took it from her.

"Huh. He sounds right looney." He said and slid the book back over to her. She eyed him with distaste.

"So then is your father looney for writing his article based off of this? You know what we experienced the other night had to be Priori Incantatum Malfoy. There's no denying it."

"I thought that's what we were trying to figure out Granger. To prove that this wasn't Priori Incantatum. Because I am certainly not your bloody soul mate!"

"I certainly hope not Malfoy! Unless a soul mate can be derived out of hatred!" she said bitingly. Draco, oddly enough, flinched at this statement. Did she really hate him? The bigger question was, did he hate her? They certainly weren't friends, they were definitely enemies but did that mean they hated each other? Granted she had punched him just last year and he had called her a mudblood nearly every year since first, but still. He had been raised to loath witches and wizards who weren't purebloods like him. So perhaps, in the end he did hate her.

Hermione finished eating and flagged down the waiter. He walked over to them.

"Yes miss?"

"I'd like the bill please." She said. He nodded and walked away.

"Tiered of dealing with me Granger?" She glared at him.

"Yes as a matter of fact, I am. We need to keep researching this, and we need to do it together, even though it pains me to admit it. I need your help on this. So, tomorrow at two can you meet me at the London Library? I assume you know where it is." Draco scowled but nodded.

"Yes, I do know where it is. But why do we need to go there? Granted it's the largest library in London, but all they have in it are muggle books." Hermione looked slightly amused.

"Well, I will admit I'm impressed that you knew it was the largest library in London. But, you are wrong on one point. It doesn't just have muggle books in it. It also has the largest collection of wizarding books in the wizarding world. Hogwarts comes in at a close second though. So, I'll meet you at the entrance tomorrow at two o'clock. And don't be late." She placed seventy euros on the table and stood. Draco stood as well.

"I won't be late Granger. See you at the library then." She sniffed disdainfully.

"Very well. Have a good evening Malfoy."

"You do the same Granger." They left the restaurant and Draco watched as Hermione climbed into a muggle car that sped away. A few minutes later he boarded the tram to head back to Malfoy Manor.

Hermione sighed and lounged against the brick wall of the London Library. She smiled and closed her eyes, turning her face up to the sunlight. Footsteps approached her.

"Enjoying the sun are you Granger?" A drawling voice asked in amusement. Hermione kept her eyes closed.

"I am Malfoy, do you have a problem with that?" She asked.

"Well, I'm here, on time and all your doing is standing there soaking up the sun. We need to get to work on this Granger. So yes, I do have a problem with." Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and pushed away from the wall. She turned away from him and headed up the stairs.

"Are you coming Malfoy? We have a lot of work to do you know." Draco rolled his eyes and couldn't help but notice what she was wearing as she walked up the steps. She had on a short flowing floral skirt, black t-shirt and strappy flat sandals. He didn't think he had ever seen her in a skirt before. His eyes traveled up and down her legs as she walked and he had to admit that they were nice. Even if she was just a filthy mudblood.

They entered the library and walked through the issue hall. Hermione pressed the button on the elevator and crossed her arms over her chest, not looking at Malfoy.

"Not going to take the stairs Granger?" He asked. She shot him a glare.

"The elevator is faster. Plus, to get to the staircase you have to go through the lightwell reading room and it's somewhat rude because there are a lot of college students who study there." Draco smirked.

"Or maybe there's someone you want to avoid running into perhaps?" She whirled on him and glared at him menacingly.

"You are so insufferable Malfoy! God! If it's going to bug you that much to take the blasted elevator then just come on! We'll take the bloody stairs!" She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along.

They walked back through the issue hall and into the lightwell reading room. Hermione led him around the outskirts of the tables and hurried him along, casting furtive glances around the reading room.

"Hermione, what are you so tense for? It's just a reading room." Draco said with a smirk.

"Hermione!" She grimaced and slowed. "Hermione, hey wait up!" Draco turned to see who had hollered after her and saw a young man with dark black hair wearing a sweater vest running towards them. Hermione forced a smile.

"Hello Thomas." She said quietly.

"Hey, havn't seen you around for a few weeks. Thought you had bailed on studying with me." He smiled at her. "I've got a table if you want to join me. I was planning on booking a reading room on the second floor in the history section. I'm still working on the annotations for that paper I told you about last week. They're a nightmare! I would love to have your company." Hermione grimaced.

"Actually, Thomas, I'm really kind of busy. I've… got some things to help my boyfriend with. We're only going to be here for a little bit and then we have to go." Thomas noticed Draco for the first time and he gave Draco a once over.

"Ah, well, maybe I'll catch you another time then Hermione. See ya later." He nodded curtly to Draco and Draco thought he saw a menacing glare shot his way before Thomas turned and walked off.

Hermione let out a breath she had been holding and turned around to walk away. Draco grabbed her arm.

"Boyfriend huh?" He smirked and pulled her close, draping an arm over her shoulder. "So, care to _explore _the stacks with me Hermione?" He darted a glance at the table that Thomas was sitting at. He was glaring openly at them. Draco chuckled as Thomas's face went red with anger. Hermione was tense and she wasn't smiling. She shook off his arm and grabbed his hand hard and wrenched him across the reading room and out the door leading to the staircase. She rounded on him.

"What the bloody hell was that Malfoy!" She snapped angrily. He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What was that with you? Calling me your boyfriend. Trying to make tall dark and handsome jealous? He looks way older than you." Hermione glared at him.

"Thomas is a college student and I find him extremely annoying because he likes me! I said you were my boyfriend just to get him off my back! Your right, I didn't want to come through the reading room because I wanted to avoid him! Are you satisfied now Malfoy?" She hissed. Draco chuckled.

"Yeah. Come on. Where's this massive collection of wizarding books anyways?" Hermione rolled her eyes and huffed in frustration, dropping the subject and pushed open the door to the staircase. They walked down the stairs in silence and reached the basement level. Hermione led him through the periodicals and into the Times Room and finely into the Societies section of the basement.

"Please tell me you brought your wand with you? I forgot to mention it at dinner. Without it you won't be able to get in." She whispered. Draco nodded.

"I always have it on me. So, where is this magical extra library then?"

"Over here." She walked up to a small wooden desk and a man looked up from a book he was reading.

"Name?" He asked.

"Hermione Granger." She discreetly pulled out her wand and set it on the desk in front of her. The man cast his eyes briefly down and looked at it.

"Section B, right over there." He pointed to a row of shelves behind him. Hermione stepped aside and Draco stepped up to the desk.

"Name?" The beady-eyed man asked.

"Draco Malfoy." He pulled out his wand and set it on the desk just as Hermione had. The man waved a hand casually over to the same section of shelves.

"Section B. Just follow her newbie." Draco glared at the man and pocketed his wand and walked over to Hermione. She led him through the bookshelves and they came to the section labeled B. Hermione cast a furtive glance around and walked to the door labeled Boiler room. There was a padlock on the old door. Hermione gabbed the handle and turned it and pushed the door open. The padlock instantly disappeared and she stepped into the room. Draco followed and he stared in absolute wonder at the huge room before him. Bookshelves lined every single wall and the levels stretched further up than he could see. Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him further into the room. She seemed to relax some as they walked through the maze of bookshelves. She stopped at a small reading alcove and turned to him.

"Alright, I want you to go and see what books you can find by G.R.R. Go to the directory and search up his initials. It should come up with a list of names. Write them down and then find books by him. I'm going to look in the old daily prophets and Quibblers to see if there are any cases dealing with Priori Incantatum. There have to be other people who have supposedly experienced it. At least your father seemed to believe so, unless he was lying."

"My father wouldn't lie in a scientific article such as that Granger." She shrugged.

"You never know. Meet me back here with what you find and we'll study for a few hours and see what we can figure out." They parted ways and explored deep into the wizarding library, in search of answers.

After an hour of digging up old tomes and old newspapers they had barely uncovered anything dealing with Priori Incantatum. They met back up at the small reading alcove. Draco slumped into a chair.

"This is pointless, there is nothing in here about that spell." He said exasperatedly. Hermione bit her lip and perched on the edge of the table crossing her ankles delicately. Draco's eyes flitted over her shapely legs. Why did she have to wear a skirt? It was maddening, because he didn't want to find her legs utterly attractive but he just couldn't help staring. He glared angrily at them.

"Well, we just have to keep looking. There has to be more explanations on why this happened between us. If you could only find out who that other woman your father was with, then we might get some more answers to explain all of this. He said their wand cores had been different but he experience Priori Incantatum with her anyways. How is that even possible? I mean the wand does choose the wizard. That is well known. But what we don't know is how exactly the wand core is connected to the wizard where Priori Incantatum between two souls can occur. It's all quite confusing. Shall we call it a day and meet up again tomorrow?" Draco sighed and shrugged.

"Sure. I still don't really see the point when I highly doubt we're going to find anything anyways. We've been searching for a over an hour so what makes you think that there is even anymore information on this spell besides what G.R.R. wrote?" Hermione sighed and shrugged..

"I have no clue Malfoy! I'm just as clueless about this as you are! But we need to find answers, because I certainly don't want to keep sharing memories with you. I don't want you seeing my memories probably as much as you don't want me seeing yours. We need to find out how to stop this."

"Stop what exactly? We only saw the one memory." Draco said. She gave him an annoyed look.

"You know exactly what I mean. I… can't get you out of my mind and thinking about you just makes me furious!"

"Isn't that how you are already when you think about me? Or am I wrong to assume you hate me?" He said bitingly. She glared at him.

"I just want to go back to being enemies and not thinking about you all the time! It's like I can't bloody help myself! Tell me you know what I'm talking about." Draco smirked.

"I don't know Granger, I think your rather smitten if your dreaming about me now." She wacked him on the head with a book.

"Ow!" He complained. She remained unmoved. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Alright fine, I do know what you're talking about. I feel the same way. And yet, You know, its funny, we've been enemies since first year Granger but I never really thought about if I truly hated you. I mean, yeah you're a mudblood, but even so…"

"What are you saying Malfoy?" She asked through gritted teeth. He shrugged.

"I don't know what I'm saying Granger. But you are right, I do want to go back to being enemies with you and get you out of my head. This spell is weird and if it makes it so I can't stop thinking about you we need to find a cure! I can't live with you intruding on my thoughts every minute of the day."

"And you think I can? I absolutely hate it because I'm always angry! It's ridiculous! I lash out at my family for no bloody reason just because you make me so blasted angry! God!" She shook her head and stormed away from him.

"I'll see you tomorrow Malfoy. We need to find out what this spell is and soon or I might just end up killing you before the week is done." Draco smirked at her retreating form and slung his leather jacket over his shoulder and followed her out of the library.

The next seven days were agonizing for Hermione. They met in the library each day at four o'clock and continued their fruitless search for any scrap of information on Priori Incantatum. As the days passed, there anger grew more and more heated and intense. They would get into yelling matches for no reason at all and the littlest thing that the other did would set off a fiery dispute. Priori Incantatum was affecting their lives and was turning it upside down.

Draco trudged up the drive towards Malfoy Manor and entered the huge house. It was quite as he made his way up the stairs.

"Draco, come in here for a minute." His fathers voice called from the office. Draco stopped and sighed as he walked into his father's office.

"Yes father?" He said. Lucius looked up at his son.

"You've been leaving the manor a lot during the days. What have you been doing?"

"Meeting with Blaise in downtown London," Draco lied. Lucius nodded.

"Very well then. Let your mother know, she's getting suspicious of your behavior as of late." Draco nodded and turned to leave. He stopped and turned back.

"Father…" Lucius looked up. "Who was the woman you experienced shared memories with through Priori Incantatum?" Lucius stared at his son in stunned silence.

"Why do you ask?" He said cautiously.

"I've read your article many times and I wondered if it was mum or someone else? Because from my knowledge, mum has unicorn hair like I do, in her wand. Who had the Selkie hair?" Lucius' mouth formed a thin line.

"That is in the past Draco and we do not need to address it. Go about your business and leave me be." Draco opened his mouth to retort but with a stern look from his father, left the office silently.

Lucius sighed and rested his forehead in his hands. God he missed Lily so much. When he had found out that she had been killed, it nearly killed him. He spiraled into a dark void and immersed himself in the dark arts and killed so many innocent people in his rage and grief. He hated Lord Voldemort for what he had done but it drove him to do the Dark Lord's bidding with even more ferocity. Lord Voldemort had not been seen since that dark night and his followers had fled to the shadows. Lucius had not wavered in practicing the old ways and he blamed Lord Voldemort for every muggleborn he killed without mercy. He killed all of them out of grief and rage, because the man he served with every once of his being had killed the one woman he truly loved. Though he had lost Lily several years before her death, he never stopped loving her. Even to this day, having had Draco and supporting his family, he still held a burning love for Lily Evans that would never fade. Lucius thought back to the time when he and Lily had shared memories through Priori Incantatum. It had been years later when he wrote the article in _Environmentally Magical_. Long after Lily had been killed. He had figured that his son would just write simple responses to the letters and be done with it. He hadn't figured that Draco would take an interest in his article. It made Lucius wonder if what Draco said he was doing every day at four o'clock was really the truth.

On Monday Draco headed once again to the London Library and was surprised to not find Hermione standing outside waiting for him when he arrived. He walked into the massive library and went into the lightwell reading room. He glanced over at Thomas's normal table and saw Hermione sitting beside him poring over several textbooks lying in front of the both of them. He walked through the tables and placed his hands flat on the tabletop. Hermione was engrossed in deep conversation with Thomas.

"Hermione!" Draco said loudly. Her head snapped up, her eyes full of fear. She glared at him.

"God! Ma- I mean, Draco, what are you doing here? It's not even four yet." She chided angrily. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Have you looked at a clock in the last hour?" She scowled and looked over at the large grandfather clock on the far wall. Her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh."

"Yeah, come on. We've got research to do." Draco said and turned to Thomas. "Sorry Tommy, but I need to steal my girlfriend from you, if you don't mind." He drawled. A spark of anger flashed through Thomas's eyes.

"She has the ability to choose whether or not she wishes to go with you or continue studying with me." He said shrewdly. Draco glared at him.

"Yes, but she happens to be my girlfriend, so, I think I outrank you Tommy boy." At this comment Thomas stood.

"Outrank me? Please, your what, thirteen? You're a pathetic pipsqueak, I could giver Hermione a hell of a lot more than you could. I'm older and more experienced."

"Experienced in what? Brains I can see you have plenty of, but of the other sort I'm not so sure." Draco smirked as his eyes flashed downwards to make his point.

"You fowl loathsome little cockroach! I'll pummel your face in for that." Draco instinctively reached for his wand concealed in his leather jacket and Hermione stood abruptly.

"Enough of this! Thomas, it was wonderful studying with you, I had a great time but I need to go. Draco, come on." She said brusquely and pulled Draco away by his arm.

"Well, that's not the first time I've heard that phrase used against me. I wonder where he heard that?" Draco mused as they headed down the stairs towards the societies section of the library. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and whipped out her wand.

"Draco Malfoy you are an absolute ignorant prat! I would hex you so badly that even St. Mungo's couldn't heal you when I'm through! If you ever pull a stunt like that again I swear I will to!" Draco just stared at her.

"You're angry because I told tall dark and handsome off? Hermione, you were the one who called me your boyfriend in the first place! I'm just playing along because then that bigot will stay out of our way if he thinks your mine!"

"But I'm not yours Malfoy! God, you make me so bloody angry sometime I could…" Her words were cut off abruptly as Draco suddenly slammed her against the wall with such force that it knocked the breath out of her. That wasn't the only thing that left her breathless however. Draco's lips were smashed against her own and his body was crushed against hers, pinning her securely to the wall. Hermione couldn't think, her brain was numb and she couldn't quite register what was going on. She felt her eyes drift closed and her lips began to move against his as the barest spark flickered to life between them. Draco suddenly tore himself away and moved over to the opposite side of the stairwell. His silver eyes were wide with confusion and a strange burning. It took a few minutes before Hermione was able to breath again and she stared at him in horror.

"What the bloody hell was that!?" She screamed at him. Draco was breathing hard and he shook his head.

"I don't know. Merlin… I don't know. I'm just so bloody sick of all the aggression and anger! I hate it! This tension has been going on for weeks! I can't take it anymore, every single day, that's all we do is fight!"

"So you thought that kissing me would make it better Malfoy! God! You're so stupid sometimes! How could this possibly make things better?" She shook her head and whirled around and stormed back up the stairs. Draco chased after her. She slammed open the door of the library and walked out into the bright sunshine.

"Hermione wait!" Draco called after her. She whirled around to face him.

"Stop it! Stop calling me Hermione Malfoy! We have always been enemies! This Priori Incantatum crap has driven us both mad! You hate me and I hate you! I'm a filthy little mudblood! You tell it to my face all the bloody time! You're the perfect rich pureblood whose life is perfect and I'm nothing to you! I am not your soul mate and I am not your friend or your girlfriend! Leave me alone!" She took off down the street and into the park.

Draco cursed himself and shook his head then took off running after her. He found her sitting underneath a tree, sobbing her eyes out. He was breathing heavily from running and he slumped down onto the grass beside her. He laid back onto the grass and stared up at the clouds.

"I won't force you to listen to me Hermione. I have loathed you since first year because I was taught to hate anyone who wasn't a pureblood like my family. I resented you and I envied you. You didn't care about what anyone else thought at Hogwarts. You stood up for who you are and you are smarter than any other person I know. You have a determination that most would kill for. You shine in everything you do. I hated you with a passion Granger. This spell, this Priori Incantatum connected us trough hatred of each other. We were furious that night at dinner and that somehow triggered it. In this past week I have been furious with every thought about you. I didn't hate you this much even at Hogwarts. No one deserves to be hated that much. But I just couldn't shake the feeling. Every time you popped into my head, I would just get angry and would hate the world. I got to thinking about what my father wrote in the article. That Priori Incantatum was derived from love. I don't think that's entirely true. I think that it can also be derived from hatred. It's pretty obvious that it can just based off of what's happened between us. But then I thought, why can't we change that? I don't want to feel this angry all the time. So, I kissed you because I'm sick and tiered of fighting and being so angry. I have enough crap in my life that I don't want to deal with hating you every minute of every day. I know I'm a pompous git, you've told me many a time. This kind of goes against our rivalry we've had for three years, but because of this spell I want to change it." He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her. She wasn't looking at him and she absolutely silent.

"How could you think that things between us would change Malfoy? You are foul loathsome evil little cockroach. You care for no one but yourself. You despise people like me, muggleborns. This spell doesn't change any of that. It only makes us hate each other even more. There is no magic that could change that. You have done and said too many hateful things to me." Tears welled up in her eyes again. "I felt such a victory when I punched you last year because of what you did to Buckbeak." She stood up and wiped her hand across her tearstained cheek. Draco stood as well and grabbed her hand before she could walk away.

"Hermione, look at me. Look at me!" Hermione turned her head and met his eyes. "I know that I have said and done some awful things, but none of that matters right now. I can't hate you anymore. We need to change this, we need to fix this spell."

"We don't know how to!" She protested.

"There is one way to find out. Kiss me." Her eyes widened in fury.

"No! I will not kiss you Malfoy! Get away from me!" She tried to jerk her hand out of his grip but he just tightened around her hand. He took a step closer to her.

"Hermione, trust me, I know that's nearly impossible to do but I need you to. We haven't found anything in that library about this spell… This is the only hunch I have. Kiss me Hermione and not out of anger. Kiss me because you want to not because I make you angry and feel like you have to." Hermione's eyes faded from anger into uncertainty.

"I don't know…"

"And you never will until you try." He said quietly taking another step closer. He was inches away from her now. "Kiss…" Her lips met his and that spark flickered to life once again. Hermione let her eyes drift closed and she let her mind go blank. She left behind Hogwarts and Ron and Harry and her family and focused entirely on the kiss. She felt his lips against hers so smooth and warm. His breath flooded her mouth as their lips parted and he kissed her deeper. Hermione hesitated but his arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer. She felt the anger bleed away and it was replaced with curiosity and joy. The kiss felt good and right and then it happened. With a flash the memory flooded both of their minds. A picture frame swam into view with a picture of Lucius Mafloy staring sternly out of it and the same red headed woman holding it in front of a babies face. The image changed and a tall blonde woman embraced a man with short blonde hair like Draco's and touched his cheek with tears in her eyes as she clutched onto a four year old Draco's hand. The memories faded and Draco broke the kiss but still held Hermione close.

"It worked." She whispered.

"I was right." He said with a smile. She smiled shyly back. They pulled away from each other's embrace and looked at each other awkwardly.

"Well… now what?" Hermione asked. Draco smirked and shrugged.

"We could always go back to the library and get some more studying done." Hermione frowned and then broke into a grin as she stared across the park.

"I think I have a better idea in mind. Besides, I think we've discovered plenty enough already for one day." She said and smiled at him.

A little while later they sat on a park bench eating ice cream cones. Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully.

"So you really think this will change things?" She asked.

"Well, do you want it to Granger?" He asked, eyeing her playfully.

"Well, it was only one kiss, tomorrow we could easily go back to hating each other again." She said matter-of-factly. Draco pursed his lips in thought.

"Yeah, it would never work at Hogwarts anyways."

"What wouldn't work?" She asked confused.

"If we were dating." Her eyes bulged and she stared at him dumbfounded.

"D-dating? You and me? That's crazy! We're enemies… there's n-no way you could be m-my…"

"Boyfriend? You certainly played it up in front of Tommy boy in the library every day."

"Well, yeah but that was just to get him away from me. Malfoy… I couldn't date you… I just…"

"Why Granger? You felt that spark earlier I know you did. Those feelings were real between us when we kissed."

"What feeling Malfoy?"

"Joy, elation, passion. Don't tell me you didn't feel it to. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm attracted to you and even more so now." He chuckled. "If only my friends knew, what would they think? I'm smitten with Hermione Granger."

"No you are not." He looked at her curiously.

"You are not smitten with me Draco Malfoy. It was one stupid kiss! Well, two… but still. No, you've hated me for too long." She stood up and threw away her ice cream.

Draco stood and disposed of his as well. "Alright, fine, I'm not Granger. Your still nothing but a filthy lowlife mudblood to me. Why in hell would I ever want to date you and soil my good reputation?" Hermione flinched; the words hit their target.

"Hurts doesn't it? Bet it hurts even worse because you feel something for me to. From what I understand about Priori Incantatum is its forever. Now, you can go back to hating me and I will gladly hate you in return or we can try and fix this and get along and maybe, just maybe you would consider dating me. I know it sounds crazy and it's the last thing you would expect coming out of my mouth but I can't think of a better way to change this un-ending hatred between us. And Hermione, I don't want to be just friends. Mull over that tomorrow and owl me if you figure things out." He turned away from her and walked across the street and out of site. Hermione stared after him and shook her head and sat back down onto the park bench. This was utter madness.


	5. A Family Affair

**~A Family Affair~***

Draco flopped down on his bed and let out a groan of frustration. His hunch had been correct. No matter what he did during the day, he just couldn't get Hermione Granger out of his mind. But this time his thoughts took a little different route. He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and tried to think of something else besides how she looked in that skirt and what she might look like with it off.

"Bloody hell!" He rolled over onto the silk sheets and growled into the smooth fabric. Draco had been waiting all day for her owl and he was restless for it to arrive. He wanted to know her answer and he hoped it was yes. He had hated her for three years and granted, he still didn't like the show-off know-it-all, but something had definitely changed. When they shared memories, it was so surreal and it connected them in a way he couldn't even describe. He felt truly connected to her though he couldn't even begin to explain the way he felt about her now. All he wanted was to keep sharing memories with her and to stop all the anger and animosity between them. He couldn't think of any other way than by dating her that would do that. He would try his hardest to make her happy while around him, though school was going to be a challenge.

"Merlin I hope she says yes…" He grumbled.

"Hope that who says yes to what?" Draco sat up and looked around his room. His father was leaning against the doorframe to his bedroom with his arms folded across his chest.

"Father, um… its nothing you need to be concerned with." Draco said hastily. Lucius arched an eyebrow at him and held out an envelope towards him.

"The Minister of Magic just owled. We have been invited to the Quidditch World Cup by Cornelius Fudge himself. He's invited us to sit in the minister's box to watch the game between Bulgaria and Ireland. Should be fun. It's on the twenty-second, just one week away. He sent an extra ticket, probably expecting we'd bring a house elf but I thought you might give it to this girl that you've been seeing. Your mother is dying to find out who it is and I'm rather curious myself. You should invite her to come along." Draco grimaced and forced a smile.

"Yeah, I don't know if she would agree, but it's worth a try."

"Who is this girl anyway? Because I know it's not Blaise you've been going to see everyday."

"How do you…?"

"Blaise left two weeks ago to camp out for the world cup. His father works with me, remember?" Lucius said with a smirk. Draco nodded.

"Ah, well, yeah, your right. I've been going to the London Library to find out more about the spell Priori Incantatum." Lucius stilled and he stared at his son seriously.

"Why on earth would you need to know more about that?" He asked darkly. Draco rose from the bed and took the letter out of his father's hand. He plucked the two tickets out of it and met his father's eyes.

"Because I think I might have experienced the shared memories you talked about with this girl. You wouldn't know her though. She is a witch of course and a pureblood. Why would I settle for anything less? Mudbloods are worthless, just like you said." Lucius held back a look of sadness at his son's words. Had he taught his son to hate muggleborns so much so that he would even refuse to acknowledge them?

Lucius smiled and nodded politely. "I look forward to meeting her Draco. Good luck with your research. Your welcome to any that I have found over the years."

"I already took the liberty of getting it myself. I didn't want to bother you with it since you were so busy with work." Another stab of guilt hit Lucius hard.

"You can ask me for anything son. Let your mother and I know if the girl will be coming with us in a week. And please let us know a few days in advance rather than the day before we leave as you have done before." Draco smirked at his father.

"I surely will." Lucius nodded at his son and left him alone.

Draco let out a sigh and jumped slightly when a sharp tap sounded on the windowpane. He quickly went to the window and opened it so the tawny barn owl could fly inside his room. He smiled and his heart pounded with anticipation as he untied the letter from the owl's leg. He tore open the parchment and read the note.

_Draco,_

_ I want to talk. Meet me at my place on 1343 Cork St. It__'__s the white house with blue shutters. My parents won__'__t mind if you drop in. I__'__ll just say you__'__re a friend from school and they__'__ll understand. We need to talk as soon as possible._

_Hermione_

Draco smirked and he wasn't quite sure of what to do. She wanted to talk, well that could be about anything. He assumed however that it was about yesterday. He would have an excuse to give his parents by saying that he was going to deliver the ticket to the World Cup personally to her. He would probably be home before dinner anyways. He grabbed his leather jacket and ran out of his room and down the stairs. His father was sitting in an armchair reading in the living room and his mother was sitting on the loveseat with a magazine in her lap.

"Mother, father." They looked up as he addressed them.

"I need to apperated into downtown London. I want to deliver this ticket to… that girl you've both been so curious about. I can take the tram back and I should be home before dinner." He looked from one to the other expectantly. Narcissa looked over at Lucius.

"I took him last time he apperated. It's your turn." She quipped. Lucius sighed and set down his book.

"Very well. Where to?" He asked, rising from the armchair.

"1343 Cork Street." Lucius grabbed hold of his arm and Draco felt a sharp tug at his navel and with a pop, his living room disappeared and the houses lining Cork street appeared in front of him.

Lucius released his son's arm and nodded to him. "Do I get to meet this girl?" He asked. Draco looked at him severely.

"She's not even my girlfriend yet father. I've got everything worked out just fine. If I'm not home by dinner you know I'm here. You can go now." Lucius smirked.

"You are more and more like me when I was your age son. Enjoy your time with her." Draco turned away from him and headed towards the house.

"And Draco." Draco turned back towards him. "If you truly did share in Priori Incantatum, I wish you luck and I will be very interested in meeting her." With a pop he disappeared and Draco was alone on the street.

Draco knocked on the door to 1343 and waited. The door opened and a woman with dark brown hair stood in the doorway.

"Yes?" She asked and smiled at him. Draco smiled back.

"Hello, does Hermione Granger live here?"

"Ah! Yes, come on in. Hermione said you might be coming. You're a friend of hers from school?" The woman stepped aside and let Draco pass.

"Yeah." Draco said and looked around the house with interest.

"Wonderful, I'll go get her and tell her you're here. Um, I didn't happen to catch your name dear?"

"Oh, Draco Malfoy." She smiled, but looked slightly uncertain as she extended her hand to him.

"Well Draco, I'm Monica. Any friend of Hermione's is welcome here. Will you be staying for dinner?"

"Mum! I thought I heard someone at the door. Is everything…" Hermione walked down the stairs and froze.

"Ma-Draco. Ehem. Good to see you." She said awkwardly. Her mother turned to her.

"Well, you two talk and dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. I do hope you'll stay Draco." Monica said and flashed a smile at him. Draco looked at Hermione and smiled.

"I'd love to Ms. Granger."

"Oh, pish posh! Just call me Monica! Also, Hermione, you need to feed that cat of yours. He's been yowling up a storm." Hermione smiled and nodded vaguely.

"Sure thing mum." Her mother left them alone and went into the kitchen.

An awkward silence fell between them. Draco cleared his throat.

"Well, you wrote to me. What did you want to talk about?" He asked. He watched as she fidgeted slightly.

"Um… c-come on upstairs. I need to feed Crookshanks. You don't mind do you?" She said hesitantly. Draco shook his head and took off his leather jacket.

"Can I hang this up?" He asked. Hermione blushed.

"Oh, uh, yes. Sorry. Just there." She turned away from him and headed up the stairs. He followed her and she pushed open a door and walked into a lavender bedroom. Draco took in the room and realized this must be her bedroom.

"Is this your room?" He asked. She turned towards him and massaged the back of her neck.

"Yeah. Let me just get Crookshanks some food." She picked up a bowl on the floor and poured some kibble into it, shaking the box. A blur of orange fur streaked by Draco's feet. Hermione smiled and scratched the cat's ugly matted fur.

She straightened and folded her arms over her chest. Draco leaned against the doorframe and waited expectantly.

"Draco… look… this Priori Incantatum stuff is crazy, but do you really think dating me will solve the issue? We couldn't find anything on it in the library so maybe its not a big deal… maybe it will go away and we can go back to the way we were before all of this happened." Draco shook his head and walked towards her.

"Hermione, you know as well as I that this spell won't go away. It's been weeks of unending hatred between us. You have to be tiered of it to." She bit her lip.

"Well, yeah, I am. But you're my enemy. It's a huge step that we're even calling each other by our first names. Can't we just be civil or just friends? Why do you want to date me? I mean…" Draco smirked and chuckled.

"Hermione, shut up. I want to go out with you. It's as simple as that."

"Well what about Pansy? You always seem to date her at Hogwarts. What's she going to think when you won't go off snogging her in the corridors anymore?"

"She can deal with it. Hermione, no one needs to know. I will treat you just as I always did in front of Potter and Weasley if that's what you want. I just want to stop pretending that you're my girlfriend and I want you to say yes. For nearly two months we've been writing to each other and we've gone on two dates now, plus I've kissed you twice. God, we connected through Priori Incantatum Hermione. I can't stop thinking about you!"

"And what happens if all of a sudden this Priori Incantatum wears off or something? Or we figure out something about it that we didn't know? What if all of a sudden these feelings go away?"

"Then that's a risk I'm willing to take. I will do whatever it takes to make you happy and to stop this anger between us because I can't take it anymore. Ever since we kissed it's been so much easier to deal with the constant thought of you. I actually enjoy thinking about you Hermione." He took a step closer to her.

"Draco… I just don't know if we're going about this logically. This spell is bigger than both of us. Just… lets do more research or something."

"We can do that together, at Hogwarts. Now, please shut up and just say yes and kiss me Hermione. I'm tiered of waiting for your answer and you're just prolonging the inevitable."

"No, Draco…"

"If you don't, I will tackle you onto that bed and there will be nothing you could say or do to stop me. I am set on you Hermione. I want to date you and be your boyfriend because I can't stop thinking about you and I want a reason to be able to think about you more." Hermione's eyes were wide as she watched him. She backed up and hit the chair to her desk.

"What do you want Hermione?" He whispered. He was extremely close to her and his hand stroked her cheek.

"I don't know… I can't stop thinking about you either… I want it… but I'm worried how all of this might go."

"Stop worrying and just stop thinking Hermione because that will get you nowhere. One kiss and if you protest I will leave and we will go back to the way things were before. One kiss Hermione." He stared into her rich brown eyes, his lips only inches from hers.

"One kiss and if I say no, you'll leave?"

"I promise."

"Okay…" She closed the distance between them and the shock reverberated through their bodies. She pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. She had dreamt about Draco Malfoy and it was true that she couldn't get him out of her mind either. She wanted this more than anything though she knew it was going to be one hell of a ride.

Draco rested his forehead against Hermione's and stared into her eyes. "So? Should I leave and never come back?" She smiled slightly and kissed him again.

"No. Stay for dinner. And… stay with me, Draco." He smirked.

"So, is that a yes then?" She giggled.

"Yes, I will be your girlfriend Draco Malfoy though I don't know how we're going to pull it off at Hogwarts."

"We'll figure that out when we come to it. Oh! I almost forgot. I have something for you." She tilted her head, looking dubious.

"What?" She asked apprehensively. He pulled the ticket out of his pocket.

"I got invited to go to the Quidditch World Cup and Cornileus Fudge gave us an extra ticket and I was wondering if you might consider coming with me and my family as my girlfriend." Hermione blushed.

"You were planning this for a while weren't you?" Draco shrugged.

"No, I just got the tickets tonight and then I received your owl. Things just kind of fell into place. Do you think your parents would let you go? It's a week away on the twenty-second. You'd be going with myself and my mother and father." Hermione smiled and shook her head in amazement.

"I'm dating my sworn enemy and now he's inviting me to go to the Quidditch World cup. This is all so crazy!" She laughed. Draco smiled and shrugged.

"You can't get rid of me Hermione Granger. Even if you say no, I'll still see you at school and you can be sure that I will still treat you like my girlfriend. Maybe not in front of my friends or yours, but I will all the same."

"I don't know. I haven't heard hardly anything from Ginny or Ron or Harry over the summer and I don't know what they're plans are. They might be going to the World Cup. I know Ron and Harry's obsession with Quidditch. It would be a huge risk, what if they saw us? Plus, what will your parents think? Your father knows I'm a muggleborn Draco… he'd kill you if he knew. I don't think it's wise for me to go with you." She said apologetically. Draco pursed his lips.

"Well, I'll leave the ticket with you for the next three days and if you don't hear any word from Potter or Weasley then come with me. If you do, then give me the ticket back, or if it happens that they're going then perfect. You'll have a ticket and I'll get to see you there."

"Draco…"

"There's no question about it Hermione. Keep the ticket. I'll tell my family that you weren't sure about it but I gave it to you anyways. It will be fine." Hermione looked at him severely.

"Wait, you told your family you were coming here?" She asked. Draco nodded.

"Yeah, how else was I supposed to get here? If I took the tram, it would've been over an hour before I got here. Apperation was faster."

"Your not of age to apperate."

"My father brought me and then left." Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"You are so…"

"Wonderful?" He suggested with a smirk. She rolled her eyes.

"Annoying. I'll keep the blasted ticket for three days and no more Draco Malfoy. Though I highly doubt I'll be hearing from my friends any time soon."

"Then you can come with me if you don't hear from them."

"No. I will stay here. I don't want to cause issues with your father. He'll flip if he finds out your dating me Draco."

"Hermione, Draco! Dinner's ready!" Hermione mother called from downstairs. Hermione sighed.

"We'll see Hermione. Now come on. You get to introduce me properly to your parents." She groaned as he grabbed her hand.

"No. You are strictly a friend from school." She said through gritted teeth. Draco chuckled and headed down the stairs.

"We'll see." She sighed and followed him and they both walked into the dining room.

Dinner commenced and Hermione's father plowed Draco with questions.

"So, Draco, what house are you in at Hogwarts?"

"Slytherin." Draco said and shot a glance at Hermione who was sitting beside him.

"Ah, Hermione talks often about the other houses and if I'm not mistaken your name has come up in a few conversations before." Her father said with interest. Draco smirked.

"Oh it has?"

"Yes, our Hermione talks about you quite often actually. And, regrettably not all that's been said has been favorable."

"Oh, Wendell, enough! He seems to be quite a respectable young man and I'm sure that Hermione has had her disputes with many people at school. All students do, whether they attend a school of magic or a public school with… oh what do you call them dear?" Her mother asked. Hermione smiled.

"Muggles mum." She nodded.

"Yes, muggles. It makes no difference. And anyway, we are very pleased to have you." Monica said warmly. Draco nodded.

"Thank you very much for the invite Mrs. Granger. The food is wonderful." Monica beamed.

"Well, thank you! At least there's one person in this house who likes my cooking!"

"Hey, I never said I didn't like your cooking Monica dear." She gave her husband a pointed look and motioned with her fork to his plate.

"Mhm. Then eat more than you do! Your already thin as a rail." They continued to banter and Draco lowered his voice so that only Hermione could hear him.

"Are you going to tell them about the ticket or about us?"

"No." She whispered back. "I'll get grief about it for weeks if I do."  
>"About you dating me or about the ticket?" He said with a chuckle.<p>

"Dating? Ticket? What's all this?" Mr. Granger asked, looking puzzled. Hermione grimaced.

"Well, dad, um… Draco invited me to go to the Quidditch World cup with him and his family on the twenty-second of this month."

"Alright, and dating?" Hermione bit her lip and shot an angry look over at Draco who just smirked.

"Well… Draco isn't just a friend from school. Uh… we've been writing to each other over the summer and decided to go out."

"So this is who you were meeting for dinner. Wait… then you're the Poisoned Quill Scribe? My, very intelligent. I hardly understood the context of the article but it sounded wonderful from what I could understand." Monica said and laughed. "Perhaps Hermione has finely found someone who is just as brilliant as she is!"

"Mum…" Hermione complained. Draco shook his head.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite that brilliant. My father was the one who wrote the article in the magazine I'm afraid. He wasn't able to do the meeting and so he sent me in his place and things just grew from there." Her parents nodded and smiled. Conversation continued and soon dinner was finished and Draco prepared to leave.

"You will have to come over for dinner again before the summer's out Draco. We truly enjoyed having you and meeting you!"

"Thank you Mrs. Granger." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Your welcome, Mr. Malfoy." She chuckled at his expression. "You see, just call me Monica. Have a safe trip home." She waved to him and went back inside the house leaving Hermione and Draco alone on the porch.

"Your family is nice." He said to her. She smiled slightly.

"Even though they're muggles?" Draco shrugged.

"Honestly, I'm not as prejudiced as my father is about muggles. You know, I called you mudblood all the time to keep up my appearance in front of my friends. Now, I will admit, I am a pompous git and I do like to show off. But, you mean a lot more to me now Hermione." He touched her cheek and she blushed.

"I never imagined this to be possible between us. Sworn enemies and yet look where we are. Dating each other." He chuckled and drew closer to her.

Mhm… all because of a stupid spell." He kissed her lips warmly and she moved to wrap her arms around his neck when he pulled back.

"Have a good night Hermione." He whispered to her.

"Are you really going to ride the tram home? It's really late." She smiled at her.

"No, I'll use the floo system. There's a house of a wizard I know nearby here. Write to me in three days Hermione about that ticket. I'll see you around." He smiled at her and then headed off into the darkening street. Hermione smiled as she watched him walk away and she giggled and did a girly dance around the porch. She was dating Draco Malfoy of all people! Dating him! Slytherin bad boy and sworn enemy of her and Harry and Ron! She had to keep it a secret or all hell would break loose, but she couldn't think of a time when she had been happier.


	6. Heart Throb in the Heather

**~Heart Throb in the Heather~***

Hermione paced the floor of her room, biting on her thumbnail as she read the letter in her hand. Ron had written to her and said that his dad had gotten tickets for the Quidditch World Cup and they had bought her a ticket. They invited her to come down to the Burrow on Saturday the twentieth. Hermione groaned and she flopped down on her bed and let out an aggravated sigh. This was exactly what she had been hoping for but how was she going to explain that she already had a ticket? Maybe she would just not use Draco's ticket and write to him about the situation. If the Weasley's were going to the World Cup and if Hermione went with Draco and not them, there was a huge chance that all hell could break loose. There was just no way that she could go with Draco. She would be able to see him there but it was just too risky to go with him. She sat down at her desk and wrote a reply to both Ron and Draco. Draco would just have to understand that she had to go with her friends. At least she would still be able to see him there.

Draco had gotten her letter and written her back the very same day. Hermione was due to leave in two days on Saturday. In his letter he asked to spend one more full day with her tomorrow. He gave her absolutely no details other than to meet him at the park at six in the morning. Hermione shook her head as she wrote him back, but she agreed to meet him there tomorrow morning. She had no idea what he had planned. But she was oddly excited to see him and spend the day with him. It still bewildered her sometimes that she was dating her sworn enemy and that surely enough, she was every so slowly, but positively falling for him.

Hermione sat on the same park bench where they had eaten icecream together at St. James Square at six o'clock on Friday morning waiting for Draco to arrive. She gazed out into the early morning mist that hung in the air and could see a figure walking towards her. The platinum blonde hair was unmistakable. Hermione got up and ran to him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

"I'm so sorry Draco!" She exploded in an apology. He took a step away from her and composed himself.

"Uh…its fine. What are you sorry about exactly?" He asked, giving her a puzzled look and still trying to get over the fact that she had just embraced him so openly.

"That I can't go with you to the World Cup." She said. Draco smiled slightly.

"It's fine, its better off since the Weasley's are going. Like you said in the letter, at least we can see each other there. And maybe I can pull you away from Potter and Weasley for a few minutes. I doubt they will even know you're gone." He said with a wink. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I will stay with my friends thank you very much. We can't be seen together. You're going to be around your family anyway. Now, enough about that. Where are we going?" Draco's eyes brightened and he grabbed her hand.

"Come on and I'll show you. Hope you don't mind flying there." Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and Draco stumbled at her sudden halt. He turned to face her.

"What?"

"Draco, we are in the middle of London. We can't exactly go flying wherever we please! Muggles will see us." She protested. Draco rolled his eyes and smirked.

"You have no faith in me Hermione Granger."

"Why would I? We only recently started dating."

"I just figured you might trust me more. I am your boyfriend after all."

"Yes, but you were my sworn enemy for three years. Or do you not remember?" Draco huffed in frustration.

"If I didn't know better, Hermione, I'd say you don't like flying, that's why you're giving me all this guff. And anyways, we're taking the floo system halfway there before hand. Now, do you trust me?"

"Tell me where we're going." She demanded.

"No. Just trust me Hermione. Am I that hard to trust?"

"Yes." He folded his arms over his chest and sighed. In one fluid stride he had her in his arms and his lips were pressed firmly to hers. Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden act of intimacy.

When he pulled back, his liquid silver eyes burned into hers. "Hermione, Priori Incantatum or not, you are my girlfriend and I would do anything to protect you, no matter what our past was. I have experienced feelings for you that I can't explain but I know that what I feel for you is so real. All I know is that I want to be with you, I feel drawn to everything about you. I just… can't explain it." She smiled slightly.

"Maybe we don't need to." She kissed him again and even though in the back of her mind a voice screamed that this was wrong, she ignored it and fell even deeper head over heels for Draco Malfoy.

They traveled by floo powder to a small restaurant and Draco led her out to a deserted field, carrying his broom in one hand and holding hers in the other.

"You ready?" he asked. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head.

"No, I hate flying and heights. I have ever since before I can remember."

"Hermione, you are perfectly safe. Now come on, we need to hurry." He mounted his nimbus two-thousand one and extended a hand to her. She eyed the broom suspiciously.

"Is it safe for two people to fly on it? What if it isn't made for more than one person? I really don't like this idea Draco. Maybe we can just take the tram? I've got money for it."

"Just get on, I promise I won't let you fall Granger." She glared at him.

"Back to last names now?" She said irritably.

"Just get on please." She hesitantly straddled the broom and wrapped her arms around his waist. She could feel the magical cushion beneath her and felt slightly more secure. Draco kicked the ground hard and Hermione clung tightly to him as he flew upwards and out of the alleyway.

"Draco…" she whimpered and her eyes remained shut tight as the wind whipped her unruly curly hair around her face.

"Hold on." He said and smirked as he shot upwards with an amazing burst of speed. Hermione screamed and buried her face in his leather jacket, clinging to his waist for dear life. She had hated flying on Buckbeak but this was worse.

"Hermione, open your eyes and don't scream. You won't be able to breath if you do!" He hollered at her. Hermione cracked an eye open and what she saw took her breath away. She opened up her eyes and stared into the fluffy glowing clouds that surrounded them. The sun was just beginning to rise and the clouds had taken on a heavenly glow of gold and white. It was truly magical. She rested her head against Draco's back and stared at the sunrise.

"This is beautiful." She whispered.

"Yeah, I thought you would like it. Hold on again, going down." Hermione bit her lip and clung tighter to him as he began to descend with increasing speed through the clouds and down into the city below.

"Wont the muggles see us though?" She said, suddenly panicked as the pinpricks of people below began to appear through the clouds.

"It's fine! I promise!" A vast stretch of trees spanned out below them and Draco maneuvered easily through the branches. Hermione shut her eyes again as they flew down into the foliage.

Once they were firmly on the ground Hermione scrambled off the broom and stood with her hands on her knees breathing heavily. She really hated flying.

"You alright?" Draco asked, walking up beside her. She nodded and straightened.

"Yeah, I really don't like flying." She said shakily. Draco smirked.

"I can tell. I'm just going to leave the broom here so we don't have to carry it while walking around. There's hardly any muggles around anyways."

"Well at least put a concealment charm on it just in case. If a muggle finds it, they'll take it just out of curiosity."

"Um… I'm not sure that I know very many concealment charms actually…" He said with a grimace.

"I'll do it then." His eyebrows rose in surprise.

"What, no gloating that you're smarter than me? Wow, I'm surprised." Hermione shrugged.

"I don't see the point. Put the broom there and I'll make sure no muggle runs across it while we're away." Draco set the broom down off the pathway and Hermione pulled out her wand. She muttered a charm and the broom shimmered slightly in the grass.

"There, that should do it. Now, since that's taken care of, are you going to tell me where we are?" Draco smiled.

"We are at Newnham Riverbank club in Cambridge." Hermione cocked her head to the side.

"I've never heard of it." She said.

"Most people haven't. It's not that popular in late summer. People generally come more around early or the middle of summer. It's about a mile walk up the pathway to the swimming entrance."

"Swimming? I didn't bring a suit with me."

"We don't have to swim, it's just a beautiful place to spend the day. Come on. There's a café that we can go to for lunch in a little while. But it's a great place to hike through the forests." He began to walk on down the dirt pathway and Hermione followed him.

Birds called up in the trees and nature seemed even more beautiful in the morning hours. They walked hand in hand talking quietly and just enjoying the nature that surrounded them.

"Can you believe that there's only a little over a week left until we go back to Hogwarts?" Hermione said.

"Yeah. Seems pretty crazy. The summer just seems to have flown by."

"Yeah, and to think, we spent most of it writing each other, unbeknownst who we were writing to." She said with a laugh. Draco smiled.

"I'm glad my father gave me those letters. I would've never known about Priori Incantatum without them." He turned around and walked backwards, taking both her hands in his own. "And without that, I never would've had these feelings for you." He stopped walking and pulled her close to him.

"I'm glad I have you Hermione." He breathed and kissed her.

Hermione's head was spinning and she felt so light and happy right in that moment. She had fallen hard for Draco Malfoy and spending the day with him was absolutely perfect. They walked further through the park and came to a small café tucked back into the expanse of trees.

"It's getting fairly close to lunch, do you want to grab a bite to eat before we walk the mile to the river?" Draco asked.

"Yes actually, I'm starved." She admitted.

"Same here. We'll grab a bite then." They walked into the small café and were seated at a small round table in the back corner of the café. Hermione perused the menu and ended up ordering the Welsh Rarebit which was a thick piece of toasted bread topped with melted cheddar cheese and a mustard and beer sauce mixed together with an egg. Draco ordered the Kedgeree; a dish with basmati rice mixed with smoked haddock, curry spices and hard boiled eggs. They talked while they ate and soon headed back out onto the trails.

They walked the long path to the hidden gate that led to the riverside entrance. Hermione was laughing and suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks as a man and woman came walking towards them wearing nothing but hiking boots and a small backpack. Hermione's face flushed crimson and she looked away and hurried on down the path.

"What the bloody hell was wrong with those people!" She exclaimed once the nude hikers were out of earshot.

"Well, Newnham riverbank club doesn't have many rules and it's meant for naturists. Or at least, a lot of naturists come here because of the lack of rules concerning nudity."

"They're bloody nudists!" Hermione shrieked, looking at him angrily. "Why did you bring me here Draco!" She shouted at him and Draco held up his hands.

"Calm down! It's an exclusive club in Cambridge Hermione. The nature is gorgeous and people come here to swim in the river and hike. One of the exceptions the club makes is that clothes are optional. I didn't think we would be running into anyone. I'm sorry." Hermione shook her head.

"This place is insane! It's been beautiful and nice but… I don't know."

"Do you want me to take you home?" Draco asked. Hermione looked at him surprised.

"Well… I didn't say I wanted to leave. It's just… that startled and embarrassed me was all. I didn't expect that to happen. You didn't exactly tell me anything about this place." Draco shrugged.

"I thought it might be a nice surprise."

"To find out that this place is full of naturists? Yeah, a real nice surprise Draco!"

"No, I meant just… that it's calm and beautiful to hike here. I thought it would be a nice place to spend our last day together before you leave since you aren't coming with me to the World Cup." Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"It has been nice Draco. They just surprised me was all. It's fine. Come on."

They walked in silence for a while and went through the door of the river entrance and came to a lush glade. Hermione looked at the sign posted on the wall surrounding the glade. It read: _Water Temp 18__C_. Hermione smiled slightly and pointed to the sign.

"Looks like the water's plenty warm for swimming." She said. Draco raised his eyebrows at her.

"You actually want to go swimming? Going to keep to the club values are we? I'm impressed at your daring." Hermione blushed crimson.

"W-well… no. I mean…" Draco laughed.

"I'm just kidding Hermione. We don't have to swim. Come on." They trekked across the lush grass and finely came to the silently flowing river. Hermione took in a lungful of crisp clean summer air and smiled. There was a row of fairly low hedges off to one side that were marked for swimmers to change or undress, whichever they preferred. Draco walked behind one of the hedges and began removing his clothes.

"What are you doing?" Hermione blanched. Draco smirked as he pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing a very toned chest. Hermione looked away another blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"I'm going for a swim, whether you want to or not Hermione. You can join me if you'd like." He smirked and waggled his eyebrows at her.

"No thank you!" She said hastily. Draco shrugged and pulled a small leather bag from around his neck that she hadn't noticed him wearing before. He opened the drawstring and shoved his clothes into the tiny bag. Hermione watched with interest and realized he must've charmed the little pouch with an expandable charm.

"Here, catch!" He hollered and tossed the small leather pouch towards her. She caught it by the leather chord and gasped as Draco walked out from behind the hedge. She immediately covered her eyes with her hands.

"God Draco! You're so…."

"Handsome?"

"NO! You're a blasted git! Merlin!" Draco laughed and whooped as he ran across the field towards the water. Hermione waited until she heard the loud splash of water before pulling her hands away from her face. Her cheeks still felt hot. Even though she was dating him, that wasn't something she had thought about seeing… Well… that might be a small lie, but still! Hermione looked over at the river and Draco was swimming around, his platinum blonde hair slicked against his skull. She walked over to the bank and sat down on the grass. He glided up to her in the water and rested his elbows on the grassy bank.

"Going to come on in for a swim?" He asked coyly. She glared at him.

"No, I'm not. I'm plenty content watching you swim thank you." He grinned at her.

"Hm, well, can I still splash you?"

"No!" He drew back his hand over the water and Hermione's eyes widened. She scrambled up from the grass and Draco slapped the water. Hermione shrieked as water droplets splashed up and hit her.

"Draco! Don't! These are the only clothes I brought! I don't want them getting wet!" She said. Draco smiled and swam out into the water and floated on his back. Hermione blushed as his abs were visible in the water.

"Then, come join me Granger and then I can splash you all I want without you complaining. The water's wonderful, plus, it's really too murky to see anything anyways. Not that I'd want to Granger." He winked at her and she glared at him.

"Your insufferable Malfoy!" She huffed and walked across the grass away from the river.

"Hey! Where are you going?" He hollered after her. She didn't look back at him as she went behind the hedges.

Hermione grumbled and smiled slightly as she began to strip out of her clothes. What was the fun in having him splash her with her clothes on? She might as well make the best of the day and just go swimming with him like he wanted. She had stripped down to her bra and knickers and absolutely refused to take off anymore. She didn't care if she got those wet. She could always just wear her shirt without her bra after they were done swimming. She placed the small leather pouch around her neck and cautiously came out from behind the hedge. She squared her shoulders as she walked towards the bank.

Draco was floating around lazily and nearly choked on the water when he saw her. He couldn't help but let his eyes roam from her unruly curly hair that tumbled down her thin shoulders, her nicely filled out bosom and her thin waist and flat stomach. Her hips curved deliciously and her light lavender knickers hugged her perfectly. His eyes traveled down her shapely legs to her bare feet with painted light blue toenails. He smirked at her as she stopped at the bank and put her hands on her hips.

"Stop gawking Malfoy!" She snapped and dove gracefully into the water. She came up beside him, her curly hair somewhat more tamed and sleek and shining with water. She swam over to him and smirked.

"Happy?" She asked. He smiled devilishly and splashed her. She squealed and gasped.

"Oh, no way you're getting away with that!" She splashed him back and he ducked beneath the water. He watched her legs kicking beneath the murky water. He swam up behind her and picked her up by her legs, hoisting her onto his shoulder. She screamed and toppled backwards splashing into the river. He swam around and hauled her up into his arms and she came up spluttering and cursing.

"God Malfoy! You scared the…" He pressed his wet lips against hers catching her words. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and Draco lost his balance and they both toppled into the water together and came up spluttering and laughing. Hermione giggled and swam up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pushed her wet hair over her shoulder and leaned his forehead against hers.

"You drive me crazy Hermione Granger." She giggled.

"Perfect." He leaned in to kiss her and she kissed his nose and swam away from him in a flash. He looked slightly bewildered but laughed and swam after her down the river.

Draco and Hermione floated lazily down the river hand in hand, letting the current carry them slowly along. "Been a pretty good day?" Draco asked her as he stared up at the blue sky above.

"Yeah. I'm glad I got to spend my last day with you." She fingered the pouch around her neck.

"Will all our clothes still be dry in this?" She asked.

"Yeah, they should be. I put a containment charm on the pouch so water wouldn't get in it. They should be fine." He released her hand and turned to look at her while swimming backwards. "We can get out up here on the bank. The grass is really lush and soft and it'll be the perfect place to rest and dry off before we hike back." He said. Hermione smiled and turned over onto her stomach to swim.

"Okay. Bet I can beat you there!" She plowed through the water and Draco smiled and swam to catch up with her speed. A honking sound caught his attention and he stopped swimming for a moment. He looked around to where Hermione was swimming and his eyes widened. Just on the left bank, directly where she was headed, was a pair of nesting swans and they had noticed her and didn't look to happy.

"Hermione!" Draco hollered after her. She stopped swimming and turned around towards him.

"Yeah?" She hollered back. "Come on! Hurry up slow poke!"

"No! Hermione, the swans! Get away from the bank!"

"What?" Draco cursed as the male swan spread it's wings and splashed into the water behind her.

Hermione whirled around and screamed as the massive bird descended on her, it's huge white wings flapping and it's sharp beak snapping at her. Draco dove forward and swam towards her with all his might. He didn't have his wand and neither did she as both of them were tucked safely inside the pouch around her neck.

Hermione thrashed away from the swan and reeled backwards in the water. The swan had its wings spread wide and was honking wildly and snapping at her.

"Draco!" She screamed. Draco arrived by her side and grabbed the swan roughly by its long neck. The swan snapped at him and honked furiously.

"Go! Swim to the opposite bank! Now!" He hollered at her, still fighting off the swan and trying to follow her. They swam to the bank and scrambled onto the grass and ran into the trees. The swan screamed behind them but when Draco looked back, the swan was gone.

Hermione stopped running and was breathing heavily, her eyes wide. "Is it gone?" She gasped. Draco nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

"Y-yeah. We're good. Come on. The grass looks soft over here." They walked across the grass and Draco sank down onto the lush green carpet and flopped onto his back. Hermione sank down beside him and they looked at each other and burst out laughing. They laughed so hard that tears rolled down their cheeks.

Draco clutched at his sides and buried his face in the grass. "Merlin! That was insane! God, but it was fun!" Hermione giggled and sat up, trying to catch her breath from laughing so much.

"Yeah." She looked over at him and her eyes roamed his body. Her face heated suddenly as she realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes and she barely had any on either.

"Um…" She looked away from him and pulled the pouch from around her neck and handed it to him. It dawned on him then and he gave her a coy smile.

"Like what you see Granger."

"Just put some clothes on Malfoy! Jeez!" She was blushing furiously and trying to cover herself up with her hands unsuccessfully. He opened the small pouch and pulled out several items. He handed her a blanket and she wrapped it around herself gratefully.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"No problem." He said as he quickly covered himself with another blanket from within the pouch. He pulled out her clothes and handed them to her and pulled out his black jeans. He stood up with the blanket wrapped around his torso and walked back into the trees to change.

Hermione dropped the blanket from around her shoulders and stood. She slipped off her bra and knickers as they were soaked and was sliding her jeans up her legs when Draco walked back into the glade.

"Oh merlin!" Hermione exclaimed and covered her chest with her arms. "Shoo! Give me just another minute to change please!" She said angrily. Draco smirked and turned around.

"Okay, you can finish. I'm not looking." He said and chuckled. She glared at him and lowered her arms and pulled her t-shirt over her head.

"Okay, you can turn around now." She said. Draco turned back around to face her and grinned.

"That was some fun hey?"

"Yeah, really. Because being attacked by a swan is fun!" She shook her head and laughed. "God today has been awesome. Thank you."

"Your welcome." They spread out the blankets on the bank and lay side by side and lost track of time as they talked.

The sun had sunk below the horizon and Hermione sat up. "What time is it?" She asked, suddenly panicked. Draco smirked at her.

"Obviously pretty late."

"We should head back."

"Hermione it's fine, they have lamps that they light along the trails. We'll find our way back easy." Hermione bit her lip.

"I still need to get home though."

"I've had you home later than this when we go out to dinner. The moon's barely even up yet." She frowned at him.

"Draco, it's been a wonderful day, I've had a marvelous time, but I really think we should go."

"Alright, one more swim and then we can leave. We'll dry faster while walking and I want to swim with you one last time." She huffed and frowned.

"What if those swans are still out there?"

"Hermione, we ran far enough down the bank that they wont even notice us. Come on, take a moonlight swim with me." He said and stood up, extending his hand to her. Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled slightly, taking his hand. He pulled her up into his arms and kissed her warmly. He pulled away from her and walked down the bank, stripping off his clothes as he went.

"At least it's dark." She muttered and then followed him.

He was already in the water when she reached the bank but his back was to her. Hermione bit her lip and took off her shirt and jeans and waded into the river. The water was cooler at night but it felt great on her skin. She walked up behind him in the water and he turned around to face her. The river was dark and the moon had risen high into the night. Draco's hands slid around Hermione's waist as he pulled her against him in the water. His hands moved through her curls and pulled her face closer to his and he kissed her. Their mouths opened and tongues mingled with breath and lips. Hermione pulled Draco closer and clung to his body, relishing the feel of his slick smooth skin beneath her wet hands. Wet skin met skin and they embraced in silent passion in the dark river.

Hermione was shivering slightly and Draco picked her up and carried her out of the water and back to the grassy field. They lay down on the grass and Draco pulled the blanket over their wet bodies. He ran a hand over her shimmering wet skin and touched her breasts and stomach.

"Your so beautiful Hermione…" Hermione's eyes were closed as she savored his touch and his warm heavy weight came over the top of her body and his lips were on hers once again in fiery passion. His kissed her neck and breasts and Hermione moaned with each kiss and touch.

"Hermione… Oh, Hermione…"

"Draco…" She knew exactly what was running through his head and the thought had crossed her mind too but she just couldn't.

"I… can't." She said softly. Draco lifted his head and stared at her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione bit her lip and Draco rolled beside her. "I see. It's alright Hermione. I rushed." She bit her lip and rolled to face him. She reached out and ran her fingers over his smooth chest.

"Of all the things for us to end up together. It never would've crossed my mind before that you would ever consider wanting to do _that _with me."

"Hermione, I'm sorry. Its just… with the skinny dipping and the snogging and…" She pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him and then she kissed him.

"It's alright Draco." She murmured in between kisses.

"I'm just not ready to go _that _far yet. But _this_." She snuggled her naked body close to his and wrapped her arms around him. "This is perfect." She rested her head against his chest and sighed. They lay in each other's arms, not speaking but drinking in the feel of each other and the sounds of the night around them.

Hermione opened her eyes blearily and yawned. A chill had settled over her body and she smiled remembering an absolutely amazing dream she had been having. Her eyes adjusted to the strange brightness around her and she blinked. Green foliage came into view. This wasn't her bedroom. A soft groan sounded beside her and warm arms wrapped around her naked body.

"Crap! Draco! Get up! It's morning!" The memories from yesterday and last night came rushing back to her and she sat up. Draco groaned beside her and he opened his eyes blearily.

"Wha?"

"Draco! Get up! We fell asleep and slept all night! God, my parents are going to kill me!" She stood up, ripping the blanket off of him and proceeded to pull on her knickers and jeans.

"What time is it?" Draco asked, his eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight.

"It's morning. Get up for God's sake Draco!" She said and tossed him his clothing. Draco sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"Hermione, what's the rush?" He asked lazily and stretched. She turned on him, her eyes flashing.

"I am supposed to leave for the burrow today at noon! That's what's up! We need to get back to the broom and get back to my house now!" She said angrily. Draco got to his feet and Hermione blushed slightly at his naked body. She shook her head and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Just get dressed. We need to leave. I highly doubt they let people spend the night here anyways. We're lucky we didn't get caught." She seethed.

"Hermione! Calm down! Everything is fine. Come here." He had pulled on his boxers and jeans and held out his arms to her.

"No, we need to go." He rolled his eyes and walked over to her and grabbed her in his arms. "Draco, let me go!" She protested. He buried his nose in her hair and moved it aside so he could kiss her neck.

Hermione groaned and wriggled out of his arms. "Draco, stop it. We really need to leave. Now finish getting dressed, please." Draco smirked and rolled his eyes, zipped up his fly and pulled on his shirt.

"There, come on Ms. Impatient. Lets go." They took off through the trees and down the winding pathways headed back towards the main park where they had left Draco's broom.

They landed in a small alleyway near Hermione's house. It was still early enough in the morning that not a lot of muggles were out and about. Hermione got off the broom and started to walk away from Draco towards her house.

"Hermione!" Draco called after her. Hermione stopped and turned around. She gave him a half smile and ran to him, jumping into his arms.

"I love you Draco. Thank you so much! I'll see you at the World Cup in two days." She kissed him one last time and then ran off down the alley without looking back. Draco watched her go and his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. She had said she loved him. Wow was it was going to be hard to still be her enemy around Potter and Weasley at the World Cup.


End file.
